X'-Over ,,

[ personal ramblings ]





A very long week..





But it's a very fun-filled and exciting week!!!





On Monday, we went to a new place to Jam. Forgot the name of the place... but it was introduced by Desmondo. The place looks so much better than our pervious one.. More space, better speakers, cheaper prize ... and well i got a cooler guitar to used!! (catch that guitar on my flickr photos!). Anyway, it was really a much better session this week. Not as messed up as our previous session...... yea but of cos we still have lots to improved to be a great band. :)

We focused this time on 3 songs ... Worry Rock from Green Day, Politically Incorrect by SR-71 and Funeral of Hearts by H.I.M. . yea and someday .. i hope i can be part of a wonderful Christian band ... singing songs that will rock the town. Bringing melodies that will melt even the stoniest hearts. Moving with the power of music that will send many upraised hands. The power of agape would be our theme! There will be a never seen before movement in Asia ... and eventually all around the world. Passion it is .......



Ain't that picture great :) ?




Yea it's a big dream. but i like it soo much!!! ;)






Well simply ... yea sometimes i just feel so far away from these dreams. When these dreams faces the not-so-friendly nature of reality, it really puts to the test a person's desire for his dream. The person has to answer these questions ....




Is to press on? to step back? ....





Or even better ..






Cross-over. :)






Our Pastor shared a very simple but yet very powerful sermon. The sermon of Crossing Over.


Briefly ... he shared 5 enlightening points.

1) Cross the line of the Unknown.
could u imagine a world that is trapped in the domain of the known ? If there aren't people trying to find out how life works. ... or people who would question the identity or the presence of God (in the hope of discovering it) .... or dare to moved out of the known to the unknow more ... it would be so much a different world! Our Pastor says, "sometimes unless you are willing to do the ridiculous, you will never see the miraculous!" That can be so true. This is proven by the history of the world. By the revolution of technology. It's just amazing to know how much difference we all could make if everyone starts to think like that...

2) Step across the line of comfort.
You often hear the phrase .. "get out of your comfort zone!". It's always the case. The path that we are comfortable walkin in would always the be the path little or no growth. I can explain this with many instances ... like let say with how our Human Physiology works. Just put a baby on a pram during his nurative stage. Researchers have shown that babies that have always moved about using the pram would take a much longer time to learn how to walk. That is what being insistent of staying in your comfort zone brings you to. It is important to learn to walk through our falls. learn to walk out into the deep.

3) Cross the line of the Impossible.
Charles Spurgeon once said, "God delights in the impossibility." That is just right! How else would people know that such a mighty being exist in the spiritual realm? When it comes to the impossible .. many people can say ... "well i know it's hard .. but i'll never give up." But as for a child of God... he says .. " it's not by my might or strength ... but it's by the power of the Holy Spirit that works within me. I know for sure it'll work out. even if i haven seen it yet." Simply awesome i tell you! :)

4) Cross the line of positive affirmation.
This could be a real hard line to cross over. Because this deals mainly with your tenacity in our Faith. As far as i know, the world is filled with a planet-full of negative affirmations. It's just so common to see it in our daily lives. People come with a practical mindset of how things work. But that can really work against us if we always go around thinking the predictable. It's wise to know what will happen due to our course of actions. But it'll be wiser if we lean on the strength of God to believe what others refuse to believe. The smart thing that i will do .. is to sow in the word of God in my life. That would be the best positive affirmation to bring us far enough to see the promises of the bible.

5) Cross the line of the pull of the world.
This is also a hard line to cross. Because sometimes the pull of the world can be from something as strong as the relationships we hold on to. Or commodities... like money. games. drugs. just anything. To overcome this pull might mean that we have to overcome the lust of our desires. Or it can mean that we have to loosen the bonds that hold us back. Whatever it is, i know all things work out for the good of those who love God. When we cross such a line, we are telling God how much He means to us. :) And that is a beautiful thing. Because my friends ... the day we master that is the day .... we truly practise unconditional love. The very same thing mention in the John 3:16 of the bible. :)






I will be a line-crosser !







Jamming near Bugis Road










Had lots of fun!!!!! :D




Esplanade view. Simply breath-taking! *gasp for air*




Guess which part of Esplanade this is !?




Japanese meal tastesss sooo goood!!! Teriyaki Chicken and Rendan :)
Supposed to meet up with other cell grp members. End up only turtle and me are free to fellowship and have dinner -_-



Haa. We look great right! Like ______ like son! ;)




We got a new Usher Tag. Haa sooo cool rite?


Join usher! and get a tag like this!! :D







goood day/night to all. :)

Jason, the tea-cher.

[ personal ramblings ]




haha.



sounds good rite? You know in City Harvest Children church ... every CCMM (children church ministry member) is called a teacher! Juz imagine tat!! All the little kids call you Teacher Lala .. or Teacher Bobo. So cool ritE? I know i know.




Well i got my very first (paid!) tuition assignment this week! Hmm really Thank God! Living an adult life with only 350 bucks per month is really hard! So i'm real happy :) now. But the student i'm teaching is really challenging. Because for starters ... he is from China and has no English background. And you know ... i'm a no English genius. :P So maybe i shall practise more formal English experession in my blog to set a good teacher-student example! Man, my blog will appear more geeky now... :P



Anyway, This week was really a cool week! Went Jamming on Monday wif Desmondo, Eric and Jon. It was my very first time Jamming and somehow, i feel it's real cool! I was the basist in the band .. consisting of Eric (the drummer), Jon (the lead guitarist) and Desmondo (the support guitarist). We'll be jamming again tmr night :). I hope it'll be a better session that last week's.



Well i am pretty happy this week! Because my cousins rededicated their lives to Jesus in CHC! Even though i wasn't wif them during the whole service ... i was really happy that all things work out well! I bet they'll enjoy their new adventure here as well :)




It's another week gone. I'm still worried about my studies. I'm just feelin so inconfident doing it again. But i just got a feelin this time would be better. I dun want to fail it again. :( and retaking again would really not be easy. Especially in the office environment i'm working in now. People there can really be discouraging sometimes. :( I have not chose my university course yet too.... so sad ..



Well there was a new usher i just met this week. She shared with me about looking for new paths in education ... and it really sets me thinking. She says education is about equpping knowledge and skills. What matters in the market would not be the textbooks you learn in school ... Most of the time it can be picked up anywhere. She advise me to seek private education or any other paths that might help me in getting a cert of my favoured proffession. like when i go visit a doctor .. ask them how they became doctors and find out more abt their field of work... and hmm it's quite encouraging to hear that.. hmmm i'm goin to pray more and spend more time plannin for the future!





Jamming @ Boon Musical Instrument Centre!




Celebrated Sis Florence's Bday!




My cousins who came on Sat :)

University Courses.

[ personal ramblings ]






Men the path of education really diversifies!





I am pretty scared of the working world. The world where adults meet adults. Adults deal with adults. Adults, adults and adults .............. and more about adults.





so scary rite? i still want to be in my teenage years!!!!!! Big Fat "NO! " to adulthood, says my mind ....... - that is living in its own beautiful world of self-denial.





But well i guess i really see things differently now. I know i have to move on. To embrace what i would do in the future. but the idea has not really sunk into my heart and mind yet. I have no real clear idea of what i should be doing. My passion and interest for science has slowly died through the years. and it so seems i am at a lost of what i should choose for my future. Just so sad. No goals. no plans..




So i've decided i need to be serious with my career. I went to NTU, NUS and SMU (the 3 distinctive university in Singapore) open house in the last 2 days. It was a real eye-opener! I get to know more about the field of business that are out there. Like what do Arts and Social Science faculty students do. The difference between NUS and NTU engineering. The differnet variety of courses out there. And SMU's new problem solving approach in university education. Different university has different set of goals. Different plans to equip the students. Different approach in educating their students. It's just so amazing!! :D.




But still i dun really know all the courses that well. But well, i've a loadful of brochures, goody bags and a pretty nice memory of the entertaining visit in each school! And i was quite wrong about SMU! It's not just educating about management courses (though much of their approach is on management - based thinking and analysis), they have a pretty holistic education system. And they have 100% employment rate within the 1st 6 months. wow wow!




Still I need to really think hard what i should do. I pretty well might re-take my A' Levels again. But i shared some of my concerns with some of my friends too. It's really not an easy year for me last year. and unless i have a clear vision of what i want to do in the future, i feel there isn't any point for me to retake. There should be a stronger driving force to make me perservere. And so i thought having a career in mind might serve as an additional driving force for me to work harder...




sigh im really tired now after such a heavy day.... Just wanna say thanks to Turtle!! :) your prayer and trip to accompany me to NUS open house ... is really nice! It's great to have such supportive friends. And i shall tell you that i was inspired :) in these 2 days! I've remembered a long lost dream that i used to have! The dream to be a doctor! It's one of the most meaningful and rewarding career you can ever have. And it happens to be one of the most mentally and physcially - taxing career too. High amount of working hours. Numerous reports. Little private time for yourself. But i just like to help the sick! ya believe it or not! ha i might not look like it but i pretty enjoy doing it. And i dun mind going the extra mile to help anyone that needs it.



So .... i just need to find time to study the courses, recollect my thoughts .. seek advice and pray. This is going to be a hard decision to make.










# 101 reason - why Bible study is important! : you can get to meet up wif your close friends and take a picture with them :D




Cell Group Brothers. ahh the little one is wif us.




a very obvious picture that turtle and me were there(NUS open house) early! look the place is so empty!




SMU adminstration block! Its so cool la! Its so much like City Harvest... jus like Serene said.




a pic that i took from a poster in SMU.










zzz - zonked out.

a tumble....

[ personal ramblings ]




Everyone has a tumble in life.





I just received one earlier this week.





One that deals with my academic performance.





Thinking back, I used to share about my glorious days :)





like how i ace my Maths and Science .. and many others except my language papers.






how ugly it must have been. for me to end up like this.






I tumbled. i fell and bruised myself.






in my first few tumbles, it make me cry. I will lose hope. i'll feel incapable.






but i got up real quickly this time ; stayed less in my sorrowful state





it's great to embrace something greater!!





i got up with His hands. He pulled me up from the fall.






"oh look there he falls again."






That my enemies say. part of the devil's play.






but that doesn't matter. its the future i seek!





its only through tumbles that i discover something greater in life.





something more than a slip of paper can say. something that brings much rejoicing.





the love of God can never be replaced.

---

The service this week was great. Ushering was really heavy this week. But i know it's only through this serving that i'll even draw closer to God. I'll be a better man.



what is really captivating this week is our CHC drama. It is said this was a true story in our church. A story of how a family came to know God by the pure love shown by Christians. And like some of my usher mates shared .. it's tear-jerking. Because it really shows the love as expressed in 1 Cor 13. Love is patient. Love is kind ........ and Love never fails.




I believe as much as what Pastor has always shared. People do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care. I got this mentality - that it's vitally important to share the gospel. So much so that sometimes i forget our true motivation in sharing it. It's really all about love in the first place. And that love brings patience. It brings kindness to even those that we feel do not deserve. The basis of our belief can be so true because of it's reality in our lives. I still remembered how i came to City Harvest :). I was a pretty open guy. A sort-of shaky Christian before i came. But i have no true encounter with God. Christianity was just like any religion to me. I had no true revelation of Jesus or the identity of what it means to be a Christian.




But i very well remembered how my friends stood by me when i was really in need. How they bless me. How they continually minister to me the way Jesus would. That really touches my heart. Never have i had such friends in my life. So i stayed on even when challenges arises.




Seeing the drama and thinking back, i get different perspectives. I saw myself in Brandon's shoes ( receiving the love and accepting Christ ). Then i saw myself in John's shoes ( showing that love and ministering directly to others ). And i saw myself as the cell group member of John ( having no direct relation with Brandon; nevertheless we pray and bless him ). It's really amazing :).




I really hope one day, in all areas of my life... People could see the Jesus in me!





I'm really praying for directions now. Because right now, i am really not sure what i would like to do after i get my career in the future. I am not sure how God is going to use me. I am not sure how i am going to take care of my parents, granny and have a family. There's just so much uncertainty i have to deal with.



But i know.... i shall live by Faith and not by sight.



I'll need to plan and trust God with the rest. So please do pray for me to make the right decisions...






Thank God for weekends..


Mamamia Shephard's Pie :)




The owners of this great recipe. Thanks Jessica and John! :)




Fellowship before Cell Group.




Group 2 Section 3 Ushers!