I am on MC today for a fever, cough and flu.
I was on off yesterday.
I did my guard duty on Saturday.
I am well rested.
I am ready for the rest of the week... Sort of.
I think I ain't going to get a silver for my IPPT but I am going to try my best on Thursday.
Someone tagged that I am noisy and oblivious.
Noisy? Me? Impossible! Check my report books from my primary and secondary books and you would find this statement where 'Albert is a quiet boy'.
I am quite a chatterbox sometimes, but that is only one side of me. When I suffer from verbal diarrhoea, I become the butt of all jokes. But when I am quiet and when I start to draw away from people, who really knows? Who bothers to ask why? Who really cares and show concern?
Oblivious. Well that's my answer to people who just love to poke their big fat nose into other people's business. That's my answer to people who seems to love to hang on to the past and just cannot seem to let go of it. What's history ought to remain in the books. It is my way of saying "I am not bothered by what you say" or "Talk to my hand because the face doesn't want to know".
To my dear friend, a friend still trapped in his world of self-centeredness and self-denial, grow up!
I found myself having to think about things today and trying to sieve out my thoughts of what I really want in my life. It is one of those days where you hope time can stop and allow you to do the things you really want.
This song "All Day" by Hillsong United from their More than Life album keeps sticking in my head...
Verse 1
I don't care what they say about me
It's all right, all right
I don't care they think about me
It's all right, they'll get it one day
Booking in tonight... till later...
I spent my Saturday doing guard duty. What a waste of time! Nevertheless, I spent my time reflecting and sorting some things out.
Missed Church. Missed the opportunity of going out with friends. Totally tired!
Dengue fever cases have been on the rise. If you happen to tune to your radios for a good hour or so, it would be quite evident to hear this irritating jingle. Irritating because the lyrics which are supposed to bring out the essence of having such a jingle in the very first place is muffled by the incomprehendable mumbling and rap music.
Singaporeans are now ever more cautious of a mosquitoe bite, fearing that it could very well be an Aedes Mosquitoe bite. To uneducated people, Aedes Mosquitoes could even be the source of Aids!
I think all of us just need to be a little more cautious and be mindful of the fact that while Singapore may be touted as a clean and green society, there are many avenues for dieseses and viruses to spread. Given the recent showers that Singapore has been experiencing, I think we ought to pay a little more attention to stagnant water and other potential breeding places for Aedes Mosquitoe.
What if someone said to you "I have given you my weekdays and now you also want my weekends?" How will you react to it? Listen to the person's explanation for wanting to own the weekends or would you find it absurd and not bother the person anymore? Yet this person has feelings for you! Paradoxical!
I need my bed...till later...on off tomorrow...wonder what to do...
The Trial of Faith
Suggested Scripture Texts:
1. 1 Timothy 1:18-19
2. Hebrews 3:17-19
3. Matthew 26:37-38
4. Numbers 13:27-28
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
We need to fight to keep our faith alive. Having faith is not merely the absence of distress or sorrow. Neither does it means that with faith, life will go on smoothly. Doubt leads to victory in distress and sorrow. Faith rests in the promise that God will make a way of escape. Regardless of the circumstances, trust in God as He is actually on the same boat as you.
God's purpose is not to test his people by bringing plague after plague to his people. God is, however, more interested in helping you to tide over all your tribulations in your life.
1 Peter 6-7: "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. [7] These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed."
Escaping these trials that God has planned for us is not the equivalent of having the triumph of faith. The failure to as God what his eternal purpose in the trials that he has allowed in our lives.
The riches are all in Jesus Christ.
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How people end up together is baffling.
Is it mere Chemistry or simply pure coincidence that people come together and foster the best of great bonds.
When we bid farewell to each other and say 'hope to see you again', do we actually mean it?
When we bump into each other after bidding farewell, do we become hi-bye friends or something deeper?
The reminiscence of ties; the friendship and camaraderie fostered; the topsy-turvy feeling of having memories come flooding back into your minds...
Four years is a long time... still I am in your manner of thoughts for the stupid things that I did which I now have forgotten.
Regrets? I don't dwell on regrets.
Have I changed? Who hasn't!
Have I oriented myself in a different direction? You bet I have!
Am I different? Naturally.
Simplicity and something of the norm. That's what I want.
Conformist? Me? Hello...wrong door you are knocking!
Haven't we all heard the simple story of how two people fall in love.
Boy meets girl. Boy likes girl. Girl likes boy. Boy goes out with girl. Girl goes out again with Boy.
What if...just what if...the girl ain't exactly who or what she is...what if there are more than meets the eye...
It is a simple story plagued with sweeping assumptions and warped perceptions.
Love ain't that simple after all.
According to I Weekly, I am going to get pretty hot-tempered in camp this week. I think it may actually hold water considering the fact that I am going to continue packing my stores this week and the container is closing this friday. I think I may even be on the verge of strangling a certain banarama for his ineffectiveness in the unit. The army is a hierarchical organisation. The higher the rank, the higher you are in the food pyramid. The men, unfortunately, form the base of this food pyramid. Though we support this pyramid and prevent it from collapsing, yet we are often the least appreciated bunch of people in the army. Think about it, all the great and visionary plans that the commanders take eons to come out with can only be executed perfectly if there are men to do the job and make their vision come true. Commanders and Officers are there to plan. Sergeants are there to delegate and supervise and men are just the sponge that soaks up everything that is given to them. This is the great significant plight of being a men in the army. Enjoy it while it last!
The Reason for Everything
Romans 11:36 "For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power and everything is for His glory".
The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the glory of God. God's glory is the expression of his goodness and all His other intrinsic eternal qualities. Living for God's glory is the greatest achievements we can accomplish with our lives. To bring glory to God, we need to fulfill our purpose.
How can I bring Glory to God?
1. Worship Him
Worshiping him is not confined to the small boundaries of singing hymns and praising his name in church. Rather, it encompasses the willing heart to put him at the highest place and of the circumstances is the true essence of worshipping him. It is through our owe of God that we ought to be worshiping him rather then owing it to a manner of duty. Essentially. Worship needs to come from within and from the heart.
2. Loving other believers
In church, we often critise other church-goers for the things that are not pleasing to our eyes. However, we often disregard the fact that we are often guilty of the same things. We just have yet to realise it. The same principle applies to churches critising other churches for their style of management and their approach of worshiping God. Love God, Love others. The mission of Yishun Christian Church (Anglican), my previous church, was indeed the epitome of what glorifying God ought to encompass. Support other believers. Do not question nor doubt the intent of other believers. As God has loved us, so must we unto others.
3. Becoming like Christ
Becoming like Christ is not about emulating the characteristics of Christ and then proclaiming that you are Christ. Rather, it is about spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity does not run parallel to a person's age nor the number of years spent as a Christian. Rather, it is how deep a relationship you have with God and most importantly, how much are you willing to sacrifice for God. It is this intrinsic passion for Christ that we will then truly become like Christ.
4. Serving Others with our Gifts.
What gifts has God blessed you with? We are not created in God's perfect eyes by a mere accident. Rather, we have been carefully and most beautifully crafted by God's perfect vision. Use our gifts to bless others; touch the hearts and lives of others. Use our gifts to make a difference and spread the word of God.
5. Telling others about Him.
Share the love of God. Our duty as God's watchman is to spread the word of God. Failure to do so will result in us being judged by not how many lives have you saved but rather how much more could you have saved. The feelings of uncertainty and queasiness often are a stumbling block in our paths when we want to tell others about God. This same fear transcends across our daily lives when we first meet people. Ask God to rid this innate fear and to grant you the courage to speak from your heart. Ask for a tongue that cuts through the many thick layers of disbelieve and narcissism that the other party has. Tell the world about Him.
Lifted from the Chorus of 'Tell the World' from Hillsong United in their latest 2005 album 'Look to You',
Tell the world that Jesus lives,
Tell the world that, tell the world that
Tell the world that he died for them,
Tell the world that he lives again
What am I living For?
In a word, God. Choosing a difficult path rather than an easy one is a choice in which we need to make which often requires a great deal of sacrifices. God will bless us if we would just make the right choices for him. Commit to serving him whole-heartedly and God will richly bless you. As what Dr. Prince has said, God has already blessed us and we should thus believe that God has already blessed us and we should therefore receive his blessings. Believe that God has forgive us of our sins and Receive his forgiveness. Do not forever-more live your life in hanging shame. Live your life for God!
The above is a little sharing from my interpretation of "The Reason for Everything" from Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
My week in camp was a rather emotionally unstable moment for me. Apart from wanting to tear the entire unit down from all corners, I even considered sending an MP letter to my unit. The agony I have to go through in my freaking unit everyday in camp...arrgh!!!
I finally managed to work through the lyrics of 'Through It All'. Now I just need to get use to singing it and playing it on my piano at the same time.
Class gathering at June's place tomorrow... I wonder how the gang is doing...have not met up with them for a long time...
Recently, there have been so many murder cases in Singapore. Yet all these cases were due to a psychological imbalance at the point of the murder or so it has been said. It is somewhat scary as to what the human brain is capable of when you least expect it. A seemingly docile and mild-natured person can actually become a blood-thirsty murderer. Unfathomable.
Dengue fever cases are on the rise. I have been getting mosquitoe bites recently but I am not the least paranoid about it. Let nature take its course, I say.
I need to watch my tone when I speak to people. Otherwise, someone will say that I am unhappy even if I were not!
I shall feast to my heart's content tomorrow...
Went out with Jim to an open air Hawker Centre near DXO. Let set the record straight...I didn't club. Ate quite a lot of food. But the price was a little too expensive. $4.00 for a small plate of Char Kway Teow, $5.00 for oyster omelete, $4.00 for a plate of chicken rice... Jim spent quite a lot on dinner. The chocolate obssession was superb! Took the last train home. Waited for 17 minutes for the train to come. Walked home from the MRT station. Slept at 2.30 a.m.
AHM on Sunday. I think Armour will do horribly in this year's AHM. Considering the number of cancelled live runs we had in preparation for AHM. I think the 10km rum will become a massive big walk of men laughing and joking along the way. I forgot to pack my armour singlet home and I hope Leslie will remember to bring it for me tomorrow otherwise... I am screwed,,,arrgh...
War games next week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. My shift dates and I think I will be booking out exceptionally late on Friday. What's new anyway! Overworked and under-paid...that's my life! My unit chenged my leave plan again!!!
I want to watch Quidam but no one to go with plus I don't really have much time to watch it. So depressing...
...till later I guess...
I finally went to comex 2005 at suntec city. The crowd was over-zealous and people were literally walking on each others toes. I almost suffocated. When I left, I saw the gleaming faces on people who had actually purchased something. The admiration people had for themselves for actually being able to snap up such a good bargain.
World food fair 2005. Typical and not-so typical couples and families all came out in tow. Was feeling a little down. Yet, I could not put my finger on it. Ice Monster's creation of mixed fruits with sherbet was quite nice minus the fact that they could have been more generous with their syrup. I ate Cadbury's chocolate ice-cream when I went home.
I stuff myself with spicy food when I am angry and chocolate ice-cream when I am down.
I need a break real soon...till later
Finally a Friday evening where I am actually at home and doing something that I really need and want to do.
Why can't commanders make up their minds. Deliberation will only make us poor men suffer at the end of the day. What happened to being swift and decisive?
Yesterday was teacher's day. It's interesting to celebrate teacher's day as I always say that this is the only day where teachers are actually recognised for their efforts that they have put in by their students. It is also the day where the worst devils in the teacher's eyes become angels... for just a day. Yet, in about 4 years time, I will be a teacher!
I have had the privilege of having some great teachers during my school years.
Mrs. Nath. My secondary two form teacher was my best form teacher! She was the one who gave me the many opportunities to build my confidence and grow from my little hermit shell. If it weren't for her, I would still be searching for my sense of purpose, belonging and direction in my life.
Miss Yeo. She was my debate teacher-in-charge. She was like the surrogate mother to all her debaters. She took all our whims and cries in great stride and never once said no to our somewhat ludicrous requests. She was and still is wonderful. She is the one teacher who uses my name in her classes to motivate her students just as how Bill Gates would market Microsoft products wherever he goes.
Miss Ang. She was one great English teacher when I was in secondary four. God-annoited is really who she is.
Mrs. Teo. The motherly figure to our class. She taught us Chemistry when I was in secondary four. One of the reasons why I chose teaching and especially Chemistry was because of her animated teaching style. She made Chemistry lessons interesting and great fun!
Mr. Lum. My Further Mathematics tutor. He was one great dude but a tat too gayish to digest especially for Ying Yi who was the OAC president who always had to sleep in his class and critise how Mr. Lum handles OAC and the activities that Ying Yi has planned for. At the end of the day, Ah Lum as my gang so affectionately called him was one hell of a teacher.
Miss Kao. Mooing her way to GP class, she jazzed up our lessons and made a trite subject interesting...apart from her great fashion sense. She believed in me even when I lost confidence in myself after my prelims.
Mr. Simon Tan. Till today I am still wondering how I got my A for physics. I didn't essentially benefit much from your lessons as you were always busy entertaining Wang Nan's intellectual questions that only a PRC scholar is fit to ask. But I must say that because of your teaching, it made me work doubly harder for my physics and perhaps that was why I got my A.
I remembered the surprises my gang in NJC would play when we were all wanted something badly. Like how we wanted to end class earlier! Those were the days! I had lots of fun...great fun in fact.
Arrgh... I need to book into camp tomorrow for server duty. One nice Saturday wasted on a server in my camp. Well, at least I won't have to crimp any more phone cables! I think 90 phone cables is good enough!
Till later...