read a couple of blogs and people reactions.
I don't know if you know that I'm referring to you, but I didn't think that you would be so melodramatic and emo. Seeing you in church and daily behaviour really contradicts what you say in your blog. Hm.
Amusing.
Zone FAC is finally over! With the heavy burden of being "Assistant Chief Marshal" on my appointment tag on my uniform, basically I had to run around HQ and make sure that the various areas are well managed and reduce any problems. Oh, I was also given this nice bloke called Gordon from CCK, doing his pre-training as an OCT. Like I told him, being attached as a personal assistant to me is pure slackness. I just walked around, and throughout the whole day we had nothing major to do, besides walking around and talking to people. It was only nearing about 1800hrs or so that the true problem began.
Ceremony was rather rushed, mainly because Dr Chen just walked in and we did not give an official welcome to him. Zelda and I were the emcees for the event and we had many problems, forcing us to just do our emcee speech by ear and impromptu. Did not go TOO bad, I guess, the ceremony was on time (actually, we ended like 10 minutes early).
Paya Lebar Methodist Girls School simply...overwhelming. AHAHAHAH!
i mArcused! at 6:37 AM
It's actually quite depressing when you get three heads of admissions from the universities in Singapore (SMU, NTU and NUS) to come down to your school on a thursday morning to advertise on why their school is the best.
their presentations were laced with grammatical errors! - mrs kang
nothing too depressing yet, until NUS shows the grade profile of their undergraduates. (Meaning the grades that the admitted cohort usually gets)
and to shock the rest of the world who may not know this...
NUS Law Faculty - AAA/A
NUS Medicine - AAA/A
NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (Economics) - AAB/C
NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (Psychology) - BBC/C
I mean, it's seriously depressing enough. Considering I got like, 1 U, 3 S and 1 B in my recent MSA.
i mArcused! at 6:30 AM
WOW it's been ages since I last blogged, I wonder if there are still people who read my blog. Hm. HAAAHA!
J2 life has hit me really hard, more so in the past week, when we were going through our tests and MSAs as well as our schedule for the next semester and all (getting to know all the block test dates and everything). My horrendous MSA results really woke me up, more so because I'm J2. I mean, in J1 we all aimed to just pass promos and we were all happy, but now seeing our MSAs, it really hits you hard because it's As THIS YEAR AND IT WILL AFFECT YOUR UNIVERSITY COURSE AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Seems to be the same old mantra that many are chanting.
I've resolved and already made the decision to quit rugby, because of several reasons. Priority one is my injury, which is a rupture of the wala plate ligament (the one that controls extenstion of your finger. I actually wanted to operate on it, because wearing a splint SUCKS and it's so hard to wear it continuously, and it seems that it isnt healing! D: But the doctor (Associate Prof. Teoh, a VERY eccentric man that makes professor dumbledore or Chem Yeo look like a sane man) advised against it because if i had to operate it, i have to operate on the palm side of it, which contains loads of nerves and all, and the surgery would be very complicated and has to be precise. If he just touched a wrong nerve, to quote: "no joke man, you might just disable your whole hand and you can then be captain hook."
so in the end, splinting treatment for the next 3 months.
maybe God was also calling on me to prune this area in my life, so that i have more time to do church work and all, or to do more bible study and quiet time. I mean, I don't sense growth in the area, perhaps it's something I need to prune.
It was quite interesting today because I just came back from a dinner with Joel and Shaun and Zheng and we went to Jerry's@ Jalan Kayu. Zheng asked us if Cell leadership was something we consider and he also pointed out that since I have more time now, why not commit? But above all, seek God in this.
I'll definitely be praying, and for all you out there who are reading this, pray for me too if God wants me to lead a cell, may He tell me or give me a sign.
My current cell (the Bridge cell) is going great with our regular meetings and our marathon trainings. I mean, if you come to think about it, my cell only got together officially last year when we broke off from the younger guys led by Desmond and Yang and Kimberly, and since then we have become really close to each other, treating each other as brothers and able to share all our struggles together and being one great unit. I really love my guys man, they are like my closest friends in church and all. And victor, oh man. what a great cell leader. I treasure our regular meetings on friday and all, and also the great funny times we had with JK and Jeremy and all.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"None But Jesus"
In the quiet, in the stillness
I know that you are God
In the secret of your presence
I know there I am restored
When you call I won't refuse
Each new day, again I'll choose
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
In the chaos, in confusion
I know you're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do your will
When you call I won't delay
This my song through all my days
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
All my delight is in you Lord
All of my hope
All of my strength
All my delight is in you Lord
Forevermore
i mArcused! at 6:23 AM
merry christmas to all. (: may God bless you and that you'll have a personal walk with him.
spent afternoon playing lan with my cell guys. truly, what a bunch of brothers that i'm so grateful to have.
and really, the h is all that matters to me.
i mArcused! at 6:14 AM
camp committee!
the camp as a whole
WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY WEEK!
oh, before that, just a note on my condition. My fourth finger on the left hand has a ruptured tendon, most likely will require surgery. do pray for me. (:
anyway, teens and youth camp this year was really good! the camp theme was belonging, and i guess the camp comm decided on this because we all believed that teens and youth in this day and age are searching for an identity. they're searching for a sense of belonging in some place, with some team, with some group, and the thing is, if we do not offer a place in church, in the ministry, what they are going to do is to search for belonging in gangs, in drinking, in smoking, in rioting, in drugs. Hence, belonging. God's belonging.
The camp went generally well, with loads of ups and downs for me. Last year when i first did games, i was really upset and discouraged, especially when i couldn't properly control or properly manage the game or the people, but this year i guess i learnt from it and i learnt how to manage them better. the ice breakers went rather well!
Marcus: "okay, so you guys got to introduce yourselves and liken yourself to an animal and it's characteristic. For example, hi, i'm marcus and i'm like a panda because i'm cute and adorable! :D"
Glen: "hi i'm glen and i'm a rooster because i go after chicks."
super classic.
me coordinating the ice breakers
The outing day/amazing race was kinda sucky, because we all planned nicely but i guess the distance factor was a large complaining point for many. After all, from blue lagoon to macdonalds is no mean feat. they all walked lah! (though i walked from there and then jogged back to reach finish line before the first team) one of the detours was to get 4 ice cream cones and smother the team members' faces with it. so i laughed while they all did it...then zheng had to be the nice godpa that he is and wipe my face with it too. then, all the rest of the groups followed suit and i kena from all three groups.
i'm not going to post the photo. :D
my amazing group! youth 1!
the sessions were really good, studying ruth and how she led a life of god-fear yet devotedness despite all the challenges and obstacles that she faced around her. I thank God for the ministry time, because i believe that He really spoke to me during that time. it first started with me taking out my slippers, then i was on my knees, and the next thing i knew, i was on all fours, and the whole area around me was muted. I think they were all still singing, but i felt that i was not in that room, and i was just, lifted to a holy prescence.
Then, i cant say God spoke to me in a real, distinct voice, but i can't say he just impressed upon me something in my mind. It was just a surreal experience, and something that really touched me and enlightened me. As with the theme, we all seek belonging, and we all should be grateful for all the people around us, even though they may not play a big role in the fabric of our lives. not big, but enough to be significant in our lives. and in scripture, we all are one body, and if one part is broken, it is difficult for the body to do its work. thus, we should build each other up in love and faith. God, thank you. all glory to You.
celebration night was awesome, and once again i had to play something that i would get laughed at. in 2006 i played some baddie who was gay, in 2007 i played some hairy beast that zheng transformed into by the evil witch, and now in 2008 i play beauty in the theme "beauty and the beast". The emcees were really good! lyndon trying to play b.b.see, jon sng the roving reporter with the lame jokes (still can't beat me lah!) and peiying as barbarella (her accent was like, ohmytian super hilarious and super funny, and bimbotic. =/ you will NEVER expect her to do that kinda accent. HAHA!
THEN, on wednesday had caroling! imagine sleeping at 4am the previous day, then waking up at about 9am the following morning, breaking camp at 12.30, reaching home at 1, sleep at 1.30 with regular interruptions by uncle allan, aunty seok li, aunty judy and uncle kok chi all calling me to find out if caroling was still on, waking up at 3.30, arrive church at 4.30, leave church at 6 then reaching back at 11. woots. had a great time at caroling, especially the good food at uncle kok chi's house! and then the fellowship. (:
THEN, the following day we had to get to church and carry all the chairs and all the tables for logistics. super tiring. but then, the dance was super cool. (: I DIDNT SCREW UP AHAHA!
THEN, the following day (friday if you've lost it already) we had to get to church early again to clean all the chairs and all the tables. super tired. then the rehearsal ended super late. tired....
THEN, on saturday we had carols by candlelight! last year i was some road marshal and directing traffic, but this year i was a performer. crap i think i messed the dance up! the jumping part.
anyway i just had christmas@PPN and danced joyful joyful again. tired, but i'm glad i danced for it. exposure for future talent that i have. xD i hate doing gay poses. >.<
still got to dance for the day boarders christmas party ahh!!
the bridge cell. my cell. the guys who i'd gladly share my life with.
I'll be patient. after all, it is the first characteristic quoted. patience. delaying the good for the best.
i mArcused! at 7:40 AM
I bring an offering of worship to my king
Noone else on earth deserves the praises that I sing
Jesus may You receive the honor that You're due
Oh Lord I bring an offering to You
Lord, may I ride on your wings through the storm.
i mArcused! at 11:00 PM
it sucks when the team you want is not the team that you have.
it sucks when the team that you would gladly play with is not the team that you have.
praying after training, before matches, all a thing of the past.
losing patience every training.
I guess it is all part of a team, but still, we need to seriously sit down and talk out everyone's problems. and don't exclude anyone.
on other issues, youth camp is in....one week! and games are still not fully solidified in plans and operation!
i mArcused! at 7:00 AM