Job Requirements

Hmm I just read this job description for a particular job scope and i realise that this is what I should focus on judging from the wide-scale generality of my job type.

 

"We are looking for a unique individual who possesses business, editorial and research skills as well as an aptitude for building online communities. This is high-profile and dynamic position with potential to grow and which will enable you to showcase your talents in the public. Ideally, you should have most, if not all, of the following experiences or aptitude:

• Product management of business experience
• Manage an editorial team for publications of magazines
• Perform large-scale surveys and research
• Manage online forums, Facebook & Twitter accounts
• Work with PR agencies for announcements and press releases"

My food for thought :)

Youth Ministry Boldness

Those who work in youth ministry must throw off mediocrity and be filled with a "pastoral passion" to announce the message of Christ to young people in ever-new ways, says Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko.

This statement makes me ponder. How much have I been working with a passion and boldness that will really change and touch lives, or have I settled into a happy daily drum and hum each week in and out?

Sometimes we are limited. To really change lives of others, I myself might have to change. That comes the crunch. Can we change in order to have others change? If no one changes our ways, nothing will change isn't it?

Am I ready to get down on my knees to pray, really pray for others? Am I ready to love others till my heart hurts? Am I ready to forgive every time someone badmouths me or am I ready to hang in there even though I seem to be wasting precious time and years of my life?

I don't know.

But since my heart strings keep on tugging at me, I believe this is where my heart is calling me and that it is right.

Then again, no one knows, but only "heaven knows"... a typical statement, but I read a daily devotional today that said something like this: ultimately our hearts are free when we are in Christ... because that was what we were created for. IF we find freedom elsewhere we might not be happy still.

Well, I found freedom and joy in knowing that I have found Christ. I think I just have to be bolder in living it out in my life. Therefore, all I can do now is to trust in Him and walk along with Him patiently.

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New Challenges: Viola Exam?

New Challenges ahead... Should I take the Viola Exam? Well, there would be 1.5 years or more to go till next September 2011! I think I wanna try for it... when I'm still interested hahaa..

Been checking it out and if i'm going to do the exam, these are the songs I wanna play....!!

I.Prelude-Bach's cello suites on viola - no. 1 in G major:


II. Bruch--Romance for Viola and Orchestra OP.85


III.From my heart by paul coletti


and in the spirit of all things music, I found this:

Interesting Discovery of Handel's Sarabande

Just discovered that the beginning of Nausicaa's Requiem by Hayao Miyazaki is taken from Handel's Sarabande. Listen and compare:

2 dreams which tell me things I never knew!

Today I log down 2 interesting dreams I had over the weekend!

Sat 16 Jan
- Dreamt I was on a holiday to Australia. Our tourguide took us on a out-of-control whirlwind bus-ride to our destination. When we alighted, we were at a wonderful paradise-like area with water and rock formations around (a bit like little guilin) - and we were supposed to be swimming. We swam but as I am scared of fish touching me, I sprang out of the water when i felt something touch my hand. Then i saw our tour group members, out of the water, some was sick, some dare not swim. I thought, what is this? This is our chance to swim but no one is doing so. I then saw that we looked like old tourists white haired, with hats... I went back to the water which was now dried up, and saw a huge fish, but it was flapping around for lack of water. And I was still scared of the fish, thinking, what a scary looking big fish, you mean this was in the water all along?

Meaning of the dream: - I can only say that because I was going to have a youth group meeting after this, that this dream applies to us. We are are like the old tourists, sick, scared, dare not to swim in what we feel is the unknown. The fish is the harvest since we are all "fishers of men" as Jesus would have us to be, but we are scared of the "big" fish... the water is like the living waters. After a while, it gets dried up and the fish are dying... and we are still scared to go into the water.

Lesson?
Go deep, immerse ourselves in the living waters of Christ, feed the fish in our care, become fishers of men... throw away old mentality (old men/women), stop being "sick"... get alive and get into the water and SWIM and enjoy our time here for we are only here for a short while in the course of our life (like a short tour trip) and we ought to put in our most and don't let this opportunity pass! Our goal is to swim... which to me, is to bask in God's presence, and mingle with the fish in the water... (our youths...potentials)...

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The second dream happened this morning. I was in a team of "detectives" and we travelled back in time to try to uncover some crime/mystery that happened in the past.. I was to dress up and befriend the suspected people, and to try to uncover how "it" happened (Note, I don't know what the whole story was about but I know it was a time-travel issue and a kinda detective-style context). As I got to befriend the suspects... it didn't really seem like a crime-mystery kind of situation anymore, instead I found myself having fun with them and we even tried to take a group photo.

I don't know what kind of dream is this because I woke up tearing?? I had a very prevalent thought/voice in my head, which said,... Live in the Present (aka present time). I can't remember much now, but in my dream, i was thinking that even in the "past", I could enjoy the "present"... aka wherever we are (even if we time-travelled back to who knows where) - we are able to enjoy the moment.

It is a dream which tells me that I should live in the present, not try to think back of past events and try to "solve" it (which explains the detective) - and make new friends in my current "present" situation.

The tearing is some kind of healing process - which can be explained by inner past hurts being healed by the message "to enjoy being in the present-time.. the NOW". ;) LIVE IN THE NOW!

I am learning...

This is the year of 2010.... 10 years into youth ministry... I can't say i am perfect, but i am still learning.

Although the path is tough, where people don't agree with me, and end up not supporting me but becoming my enemy... I have to endure.

Although I seek salvation, forgiveness.. or reconciliation, there is none.

I can only pluck up my courage and walk on.

There are always 2 sides of a coin. Both can be correct. None might be wrong.

Why can't there be forgiveness and love and peace?

My heart had been broken. But I believe I also broke other hearts. Why? When I only meant good intentions.

The devil is sly.

I can only trust in God to bring about peace.

Athair Ar Neamh - "Our Father in Heaven"

Was listening to some songs on youtube tonight and came across this song by Enya, and interestingly, I decided to just "meditate" for a while for this song... aka i was feeling sleepy... so i decided to just relax, close my eyes, let go of the day, breathe in and breath out... and just listen to the music and "let the music heal your soul" aka... you know.. like the song.

Well, coincidently or what, I found out later that this song has a very meaningful translation which goes as this. Haha... praise God that I was actually meditating to a song of worship... not some weird lyrics. haahaha..

Athair Ar Neamh - aka, "Heavenly Father"
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Athair ar Neamh, Dia linn Heavenly Father, God is with us
Athair ar Neamh, Dia liom Heavenly Father, God is with me
m'anam, mo chroí, mo ghlóir, my soul, my heart, my glory,
moladh duit, a Dhia. a praise to you, God.

Fada an lá, go sámh, A long and peaceful day
Fada an oích', gan ghruaim, A long night without gloom
aoibhneas, áthas, grá beauty, joy, love,
moladh duit, a Dhia. a praise to you, God.

Móraim thú ó lá go lá. I glorify you day by day.
Móraim thú ó oích' go hóich'. I glorify you night after night.

Athair ar Neamh, Dia linn Heavenly Father, God is with us
Athair ar Neamh, Dia liom Heavenly Father, God is with me
an ghealach, an ghrian, an ghaoth, the moon, the sun, the wind,
moladh duit, a Dhia. a praise to you, God.

Listen:


Athair ar Neamh is gaelic for “Our Father in Heaven” or Heavenly Father. It takes it’s cue from the first line of the Lord’s Prayer in gaelic “Ar n’Athair ata ar Neamh” - Our Father who art in Heaven and the songs lyrics are a setting of key passages from The Lord’s Prayer in Gaelic and English set to Enya’s typical musical treatement which is itself highly influenced by Gregorian Chant.

Enya’s (Eithne Ni Bhranoin) family are the Brennan family from the Gweedore Gaelteacht (Irish speaking area) of Co. Donegal in north-west Ireland and her other siblings are the members of the Irish Folk Group, Clannad. It is an area which clung to its culture and religion during English rule and where because of the anti-catholic Penal laws religious observance was often in family groups or in each other’s houses.

This song reflects that devotional tradition of rural Ireland. The gaelic word for Heaven “Neamh” also appears in other languages as in “Ben Nevis” - the heavenly mountain or “Sierra Nevada” in Spain or the state of “Nevada” in the USA.

Hello 2010! My new year resolutions

This year, I greet the new year with trepidation. I fear many things. I don't want it to be the same like the previous 3 years. I want new things to happen. I fear myself getting into a blatant routine of week after week, and time passes away. I want to see results, yet I dread the work and efforts needed to be put in.

Therefore, this year, I make my resolutions without any assurance on my part. For the flesh is weak. But i trust God. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass.”-Ps. 37:5 (KJV)

I believe during my recollection when my ministry members prayed for me, that when I saw a little image of a crown... I believe God is trying to tell me this:

1 Corinthians 9:19-25
19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

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So this is my new year 2010 resolutions:

My spiritual resolution:
1) Remember 1 Corinthian 9:24-25 - I run in a way to get the crown that will last forever

My other resolutions:
2) Make the trip to Japan that I've been wishin and talking about for years!
3) Go on to Pre Advance course for Japanese language and try to speak more!
4) Do Art again - Make time to go for it!
5) Save $$$ more
6) Play some sport at least more regularly - let's try it back at a mere once a month! (wahaha, come on, it was like ZERO for the last 5 months!)
7) Explore the parks and un-visited places in Singapore! like Labrador Park... west coast, kranji, ALL the north estates (believe it or not, I have never been up north in like the last 5 years!?)
8) Get more gadget savvy - like finally own an ipod? and get a phone with wireless connection
9) Every alternate Sunday, get my folks out to do something together as a family, whether it is a park, or shopping, or movie or just dinner together.
10) Do not give up in Youth Ministry until I am ready to pass it over to a new set of leaders
11) Try at least 1 new foodie joint each month. I can start with that swedish place at Haji lane (flka??), one ntu mate (wonder if he remembers me)'s joint called hatched... and so forth!
12) To finally stop all treatments at the stupid facial place that is leeching money off me.

Actually most of them are nothing new, very similar to 2009... so I may also like to hope for new surprises as well in the coming year! ho ho ho!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!


Jeremiah 33:3 (New International Version)
'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'

Reflection for 2009: "The Final Battle"

My reflection for 2009:
Keep my eyes on the goal. The finishing line.

I take it from here:
Daily Devotional by Os Hillman "THe Final Battle"

We are all moving toward a day in which we will be judged: "The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books" (Rev 20:12-13). Ultimately, we will all reign with Christ in a new heaven and earth (Rev 21). How you live your life now will determine your role in the new heaven and earth.

Your life on earth is a mere blink on the scale of time. Whatever hardships you've faced on earth will pale in comparison to the glory that is to be revealed when the marriage of the Bride of Christ takes place on that final day.

Be faithful. Stand firm. And see the glory of the Lord. Amen.

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Well, the daily devotional by Os Hillman above reminded me of a song i liked and posted in my blog before some time ago! Well, here it is again, this time another version (Josh Bates):