Lose to gain

If time could be seen in a line, and just, through some form of miracle one could walk down that line of time, and see, how the hardship, struggles and pain of his present circumstances helped chart out the path which eventually led to his future; if he could for a moment meet his 'past' self, and stir, shake and encourage him to toil on just because he knows his present glory began in that moment in time of difficulty, just because it began in the past and he knows how the story would end...the possibilities are endless.

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And yet, faith is hoping in something yet unseen because life was fashioned such that one would only be able to look back - down the line of time - after he had traversed it before. In this way he will only know 'too late', in celebration of the right thing done, or in despair and regret for mistakes in the past.

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If there were no struggles, how could 'happily ever after' be appreciated or even realized? Beauty would be born in a palace, the Beast would have never been cursed and the story of "Beauty and the Beast" would be a one-page bore. If there were no tears, how would the struggle of Wilberforce and the abolition of the slavetrade inspire people bent on making a difference? If there were no toil and turmoil, how would Gandhi's tale serve as a testimony of human perseverance and hope?

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Needs serve to remind us that we can't do it alone. Perhaps our generation has been too caught up with making our lives comfortable, not realizing we have made ourselves unable to appreciate it all. We have made ourselves numb, in pursuit of happiness. How ironic, that our self-sustenance has backfired.
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.Before the appreciation of a met need is felt, there must be a need to be met. Thank God for needs. They remind us we're only mortal.

On teaching and such (pictures)

Firstly, a heartfelt thanks for the great, great farewell, cards and gifts! In reply to the messages in the chatbox: Thanks Min Ern, Gary, Chanel, Heidy and Justin Wong. I will try to stop by whenever I can. Thank you all for the appreciation, for almost making me cry (keyword being 'almost' ;P), for being the great students any teacher could ask for and for the well wishes. I know, as my holidays come to a close and as the new semester in university begins the time spent teaching temporarily in school was not to waste. Some pictures to remember...

(click to enlarge)

With the other temporary teachers, (from left) Tysern, Meng Kuan, Chong Xian and Patrick for supper.The boys of 2 Keruing during recess.

At the field with the students having P.E.

The boys in the SMDJ Christian Fellowship whom I spoke to on the 15th of Feb, in conjunction with Valentine's Day

2 Batai and the farewell they put up.

There are many more pictures, in fact, but alas, I have to rush for time...

"To everything there is a season. A time for every purpose under heaven"

May you find yours. Have a week week to all!

Penang

Here's hoping you had a good CNY break.. Just some pictures taken during the trip up north, with my new camera (which my sister thinks seems to follow me everywhere I go now ;>). I'll let the pictures do the talking

Queens Bay

My cousin, Gavin, with Claudia and I

Abby, who enjoyed her time tremendously (eating & swimming)

Blowing the candles on my twentieth birthday cake, with the rest of the family members behind the camera.

Family time is indeed, always a good time. A little note of appreciation for all the birthday wishes and greetings. With possibly more than a quarter of my life passed (and that is if my life extends that long) I am more than convinced many things in life are temporal and superficial, and how men in all their folly and frailty have always chased what they could never keep- and lost what they ought to keep, yet God, in His grace has always been waiting at the other end. There is much to do...

...and much to arrive at.

Have a good week- back to school and work ;>

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!