For the SMDJ-ians

Some may know that for the past three weeks, I have been teaching as a temporary English teacher in five Form 2 classes and one Form 1 class (for Moral) in SMDJ. To say that the job is interesting would be an understatement; it has opened my eyes to several things, made me understand what MY teachers went through to educate me, created doors for me to speak into younger peoples' lives, shown me the rewards of coming to a class awaiting not just a session of academic learning but one eager to know more about the world that awaits them outside...and has reinforced in me: how humble and 'mediocre' jobs such as the teaching profession has more meaning than most of the jobs we have been made to, or have ourselves been dreaming about. With down to about one and a half weeks more of working as a temporary teacher before the university semester resumes, I know I WILL miss these people. For all their enthusiasm, humour, freshness and laughter.
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Anyway, this post is for the students who read the blog- and find nothing interesting/relevant to read, or like one student complained, "Teacher, I don't understand what you write in your blog!".
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One day while teaching at a form 2 class, I asked each of the students to write something secretive/interesting/personal about themselves on a piece of paper, anonymously. I wanted to prove a point that people do not seem to be how they appear to be always, and more often than not, are just 'putting up a show' and have many things to hide. And so we had a "classroom-'PostSecret'-session". Below are some of the statements written on those pieces of paper:
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"I tell my brother my secrets before I go to bed."
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"I sometimes feel as if I'm too inadequate to live up to my siblings."
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"I used to play princess and prince with a guy and I still wish I could do that."
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"I'm sick of being nerdy-looking."
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"I want people to be fair and not always give everything to popular kids when they don't deserve it."
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"I play computer games without permission when my parents are out."
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"Accept me in your Friendster please!" (This one made me really amused)
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"I don't like the prefectorial board a lot."
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Just some pictures of some of the familiar characters in the stories I've been telling in classes:

From left: Ian ( "Follow the trail"), Lit Rong, Myself, Satchid (Car Hijacker), Ernest, Guang Yu and Han Sheng (and his trademark pose).
From left: Joshua ('steel chair and lift' story) and myself.

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Here's an upcoming event at my church this Saturday. Do let me know if you're interested to come and check it out... it can be arranged


Also on the subject of Valentine's Day, I will be speaking at the SMDJ CF (Christian Fellowship Society) on the 15th of February (Friday), on "Love" (it's one day after Valentine's Day as you know). Incidentally it will be my last day of teaching, so do come to CF if you're around. Would be great to have you guys around. =)


Keep enjoying school! Have a great week ahead.

When all is said and done

There. Is. More.

..To this beauty, glory, youth, acknowledgment, prominence, excellence, image, wealth, health, happiness, laughter, peace, prosperity, comfort, luxury that we enjoy

..To this chase for more of what we don't really need, to this amassing of more of what we cannot keep.


Just to be simply... unimpressed, sometimes. How we need to learn how to live again!

The prospect of God

"There is an emptiness and a loneliness that an atheist feels, which people of faith cannot understand. The world is absurd, an accident. Science has, or will have, all the answers, but life has no real meaning or significance. Death is final. You can have influence and an impact on the world through your children; you can do well, be remembered in the history books for hundreds, even thousands of years; when the sun dies mankind may colonize other star systems, maybe even other galaxies. But ultimately, even if it takes 15 Billion years, the universe itself will die, or collapse into a black hole or whatever, and the end is absolute nothingness, the only thing that is infinite is a void. Life, then, is meaningless and death frightening. Truth and morality can become relative, which may lead to moral confusion, hedonism, and worse…”

-Unknown source

I do believe purpose in life and God are inseparable. I see it more with every new piece of news pertaining to corruption, death, tragedy and immorality; more with the realization that no amount of success can buy you definite satisfaction and fulfillment (even significance); more with how the world will keep chasing the wind and be swept by it- never knowing the vanity of it all; more with the frailty of life; more with how more people need more love than ever before.
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If God does not exist, we cease to have a reason to exist- and should there be a reason, that reason in itself could never last more than a lifetime. It simply dies with us and our mortal bodies. But if He does, which is a compelling possibility we must stop to consider, then the notion of life after death must be considered as well, because we WILL go somewhere. Sometimes, all that stands before man and God is a simple realization.
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'God' is just too big a prospect to ignore.

Only a sling and a stone

Oh, what I would do to have
the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
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But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."
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But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "This is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

-Voice of Truth, Casting Crowns

Have fun picking a fight with the giants.

-A nervous owl (and me) in Lake Gardens

Happy New Year!

Waste

“Vanity, definitely my favorite sin”- John Milton/Lucifer, The Devil’s Advocate.

Humanity is full of paradoxes. We speak of maturity, wisdom and character but at the heart of humanity lies an indisputable element, preserved through the ages. One that has fueled wars, broken families up, torn relationships apart and shattered and shredded hearts: vanity.

Isn’t it funny, how being ‘different’ has become so fashionable and romanticized among ourselves, that one is pressured to have a certain style of his own to stand out and be noticed? Isn’t it funny how ‘standing out’, has become a physical quality- that a person who ‘stands out’ needs to wear a certain type of clothing, have a certain type of hairstyle, speak in a certain way and possess certain items, when ironically that puts that person among a majority of blinded youth who think the same way?

How then does a person ‘stand out’? Where does one draw the line between being himself and being another person he isn’t? I do believe it’s simple. You draw the line where the most basic human function is, love.

I believe love was designed to be ‘wasted’ on others. The very fact that love is kept to one’s self, fed by selfish desires, stuffed with personal wants makes it no wonder why humanity needs more grace than it ever needed. It is for this reason the love of a friend for another is manifested outwardly, through a pat on the back, a smile, a hug, a gift, a message of hope. Love isn’t love when it’s kept to yourself.

So what happened to chivalry? And honor? What happened to all that needs to be protected: the principles we have been taught, the discernment between good and sinful, the ability to love beyond ourselves, the capacity to think for others? What happened to love?

For “greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

That, in my humble opinion, would be the difference between the Christmas the world sells and the Christmas that should be rightfully celebrated. You see, one is full of vanity, and the other, full of love.

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On a sidenote, I found this brilliant one on Youtube called "George Lucas in love". For the Starwars geeks ;P

Learning to love like Christ

Winter's chills, Spring's joy, Summer's blaze, Fall's gloom. The sun may not show up and the leaves may fall. But whatever hits you, love persists like the tree that stands firmly, almost stubbornly, through every season.


"...Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
- the Bible


And once again, Christmas draws near!

Not by might, nor by power...