Sigh

Justin: So are you happy now that I have given you chocolate?

Desiree: (Points at table) Ant.

Automatic Taps

Here's the good, the bad and the freaky in auto taps.



The Good: Singapore Changi Airport

I spent many weeks at the airport studying for my A levels. And these auto taps there really set the standard. Anyone coming through the airport would be impressed by our country's high technology level.



The Bad: Citylink Mall

Yesterday I spent a good few minutes in front of the 8 sinks. One by one i tried, and no water would come out from any of them. The sensor was cleverly disguised in a position i could not find for the first few minutes. When i finally did though, i still needed to put one hand at the sensor while washing the other hand. Seriously now, what's the point of investing in all that technology?



The Freaky: Marina Barrage

The flip side of what happened in Citylink mall. It's not easy getting there, but it's worth the travel because the barrage is a quiet place away from people. I was there and i was alone in the toilet. Washing my hands. When the auto tap at the end of the room came on and no one else was there. I laughed. It came on again. I stopped laughing. It came on again. I prayed.

Peace

Eagerly i await the day

that in the fields of green i lay

down the armour i had worn

for the battle has been won

When i can lower my shield of faith

knowing well that i am safe

Breastplate and belt to ground will fall

no longer will i need them all

Helmet and shoes will be set down

finding their rest upon the ground

Longingly i await the day

that in the fields of green i lay

down the sword that i held true

knowing that i am finally through.

Noticing

Man sits on crowded bench on crowded LRT platform.

LRT pulls in. People stand up.

Man sits on bench on crowded LRT platform.

LRT doors open. People walk forward.

Man sits on bench on crowded LRT platform.

Not staring at anything, but noticing everything:

How the crowd facing away from him silently and seamlessly split into 2 to enter the doors.

How the sound of different shoes resounded against the platform tiles.

How the footsteps of each person told the story of their day.

Man sits on bench on empty LRT platform.

Everyone has entered the LRT. As they stop and turn to face the platform, they notice the man.

He had always been there, watching all of them, but they had only just noticed him.

Man picks up bag, stands up and walks towards the LRT.

Man enters the crowded train, turns around, and stops moving.

Empty bench on empty LRT platform.

University Dedication Service

Overheard at reception after the UDS this evening:


"Hey Moses, let me introduce you to Aaron."


I thought that sounded cool. Then the boy continued,


"And my name is Joshua."


Really now, what's in a name.


___-_-___


Inside the theatre during worship,
Some students raised their hands,
Many clapped along,
And all sang their hearts out.


But one man had tears in his eyes;
peculiar thing indeed.


It wasn't during a slow song that he teared.


They were at the song One Way.


___-_-___


And you know what, this was the second time he was seen crying during the song One Way.

Raja Labah Labah

I caught a spider in the bathroom and labeled the box Raja Labah Labah (Malay for King Spider).


I left it on my sister's table as a gift with the lid slightly open so it could breathe, and the post it label held the opening at a size the spider could not escape.


But the post it didn't hold very well. By the 3rd day, the spider was out of captivity.


There have been sightings of a spider running around my sister's table.


What really baffles me though, is that the spider returned to the box to build a web there.


Now why would the Rajah Labah Labah, in it's freedom, return to the place of captivity?

The Scene: Junction beneath Eunos Ubi Flyover

The fire engine's siren is blaring

The red and white vehicle behind is braking

The learner plate driver in front of them is panicking

Juxtapose

There's a chinese funeral taking place at the void deck downstairs.


In front of the void deck, blocking half the view of the funeral, is a giant banner saying:


HAPPY 44TH BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!

Missions Festival 2009

I'm not going to tell you about the events of today.


But i'm going to write about 2 things i learnt.


First, during worship, as we sang "lift up your head, open the doors, let the king of glory come in," and i envisioned opening my door and seeing Jesus there, and giving him a great big hug, i realised something about one of the stories i had written.


I have been writing a book for some time, but i'm stuck. People often analyze other's writing, and when they are not sure what it's intended to mean, they ask the author. But how was it that in analyzing my own text, i suddenly saw a very different interpretation i never intended? Who could i ask?


What was the significance of this revelation during worship then? I didn't know, but what scared me was that the lead character was supposed to be me. But this i didn't know this about him. He was a missionary.


Second, when they made the call to commitment. Give 2 years of your life to God in missions. I felt God call me to the ends of the earth, but when the call for commitment came, i hesitated. I really could not take the step forward. Because there was something at the back of my mind holding me.


There was nothing that i could love more than God. Yet to give up something so dear for his will was excruciating. But i was given a verse and it gave me strength and i hurried forward to sign my name.


Seek ye first the kingdom of God.


Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice Issac his only son. I was always intrigued at the long journey they made to the mountain, at how increasingly torn Abraham must have been. Yet in the end, Abraham still managed to surrender Issac up to the Lord, and was ready to lose him in the sacrifice. And i managed to do that today. Sure it might not have been something as precious as a son to Abraham, but it was something i treasured so much. Leaving everything behind, i walked forward and signed my name to make the commitment.


To Abraham, Issac was lost. But God meant to test the faithfulness of Abraham, and when he proved faithful, God rewarded Abraham with Issac whom he had given up to the Lord. Abraham seeked the kingdom of God first and foremost, over everything else.


And all these things were added unto him.


I didn't expect that when i went up; to gain through loss. I just wanted to seek first his will. But in the end, all these things were added unto me. Hallelujah.

3 Weeks

3 weeks to the day.

It's been 3 tough weeks.

But it's finally over, and i shall blog again.

I don't think my posts will be quite the same any more.



Question:

Is the faith of one who keeps distance from the world and its temptations

Any better than the one who lives close to the world but holds true to faith?

Silence

If i don't blog for an extended period of time, you know something's going on that i can't blog about. Even in my business i would usually blog. But something's happening now, that is still in a transitional stage, that if i were to blog about, may affect the final outcome.

So since I can't speak unless i'm honest,


And since I can't speak honestly now.

I can't speak.

Yet.