Sheep happens.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

in the midst of rejection

God is present in the midst of rejection. How true is that. In fact, God is present everywhere in the midst of any occasion, even in the midst of the Devil's temptations. Like duh, He's God. Haha.

And thus I begin this reflection on a somehow lighter note. Hmm, maybe it's due to the fact that I feel light-headed. Maybe. But my head certainly feels substantially lighter nowadays.

Alright, now let me ask a question. Why did Rev Phua choose to write on the presence of God in the midst of rejection? Er. To put it nicely, the functions of my brains are unsufficient to be able to uncover the truth. Eh but let me guess. Rev Phua felt that the people needed encouragement, and he encouraged them by assuring that God is with them all the time, yes?

I believe that rejection is part and parcel of life. It can be seen everywhere, from rejections in social relationships to even rejections on the basis of employment. Someone may even reject your requests to have extra ketchup! It is so common, and yet it somehow manages to hurt you on the inside. Rejection, in fact, is one of the hardest things to accept. Rejection implies that one is not good enough; rejection implies that one does not deserve. What more could hurt a person deeper?

This is where God comes in. Remember, God is with us all the way, and I mean every step of the way. When God ain't beside you when you've got problems, hey, you just got to know that He's carrying you upon His shoulders! In any case, God always manages to find a way to strengthen our faith, whether through trials and tribulations or through joy and elation.

"I asked for strength, and God gave me trials to subdue.
I asked for wisdom, and God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for joy, and God gave me sorrows to overcome.
In the end I received nothing that I asked for,
But I got everything I wanted."

Nice piece of writing I read in Marcus' house, but it ain't the original one. I can't remember.

Friday, March 24, 2006

lol..

The kennysia post on myheritage.com blew me away. lol. it was super, i nearly rolled around the floor when i read the beyonce part. haha.

so, im trying out! lol.. basically i used this pic.. and guess who you look like?



group pic in bangkok..




firstly, me. lol. i dont wanna look like michelle wie hahaha. but eh. not as if i wanna look like jay but no choice.




ah, marcus looks like chen kaige.. lol.. really! just compare.. eyebrows, nose, mouth..




i just had to find a better match for edmund. he looks way different from princess sayako.. so i found tony jaa! lol.




seng wei? pretty obviously he looks like bae yong jun.. aunty killer! haha jk




i mean like, seriously.. yaoki does look like shigeru miyamoto..




and they say ben oh looks like john woo? you know, the director guy?




surprisingly.. poon does look like fabio cannavaro.. only that poon needs thicker eyebrows




kutcher=leo?




yi ming was supposed to look like a heavenly king.. but not until he shaves..




yh you got owned.




and cheng yew looks like chiang kai shiek!! LOL.. i flipped when i saw this..


lol so there goes.. some light entertainment.. =P surprisingly some are really almost identical..

Thursday, March 23, 2006

CH v BGS

CH 11 - BGS 0
1 for 1, triple.. and a few strike outs, 3 i think

nothing much.. just a lesson for the third lineup..

4 years of education in catholic high

Gone in a flash, aye, the perfect phrase to describe my four years of education in Catholic High School. It seemed like only yesterday, I was trudging through the school gates for my first time, fresh from primary school education.

I consider myself extremely lucky to have had the chance to enter Catholic High. I had surpassed myself in the PSLEs and scored above 250 points, despite scoring only 219 in the preliminaries. I remember the first time I attired myself in the school uniform. Honestly, I thought it looked somehow bizarre. I had worn nothing like that in my life. The worst thing was that these freaky buttons even hurt you! I feel a sharp pain in my shoulders everytime I carry my bag, and my classmates always pushed the "wake-up" button, often sending the victim crying out loud in agony.

I accede that I did not make full use of my first two and a half years in Catholic High. Something that I regret at present, but there is nothing I can do about it now. Truth to be told, I did not study much. I spent a large amount of my free time at home on computer games and unnecessary things, almost totally neglecting my studies. That, sadly, is why I am in the class I am in at present. Not that I despise being in this class, and neither would I want to move to another class, but I would certainly have been posted to a better class had I studied just that little bit more. My future would at least have looked a bit brighter than what it looks like now.

Fortunately, those years had not entirely gone to waste. I had matured much over those years, although I only learnt the importance of studying properly at the end of Secondary Three. I had matured in both my thoughts and my deeds. Looking back, I certainly have changed. Just about three years ago, I was this silly kid who did not even know how to organise myself. Today, thankfully, I am a changed person. I have changed for the better.

My CCA was one of the things that kept me going. We trained hard, and the desire to play motivated us to work even harder. All the hard work eventually paid off and now we have a championship under our belts. Hopefully we will get another one this year. My CCA taught me many things such as teamwork, perseverance and the never-give-up attitude. We went through thick and thin together, and we worked towards a common goal. We are not just any other team. We are brothers, and will be for a long time.

I have certainly gained much in my four years of education in Catholic High School, and I sincerely hope that all my efforts would not go to waste.

I want my six points.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

CH v PCSS

nationals 1st match. undoubtedly the best game this year for our team.

CH 6 - PCSS 2
batting 2 for 2, 1 single and 1 triple. 1 RBI

Sunday, March 19, 2006

src

"'B' Division Boys... The second place goes to Catholic High School!" The announcer announced over the microphone. Thunderous applause followed the announcement as our captains went up the claim the trophy and the medal. It was the Singapore Recreation Club's 9th Annual Inter-schools Softball Carnival, held at the Padang.

Being one of the more formidable teams around, our expectations were high; and so was the team's morale. Having taken part in every of the previous three annual tournaments, and even emerging as champions once. We were all set for the gold, which unfortunately enough, we did not receive. But the gold was not significant at all.

What mattered was the many learning experiences we got during the six-day tournament. I could see the team maturing, not only technically, but also mentally. Everyone had the same mindset and everyone supported each other. It felt awesome just to be a part of the team.

We played a total of five matches, spread throughout the duration of the tournament. We should have had six matches, but opponents did not turn up for our first match; a walkover. Indeed it was disappointing, but we played the Hwa Chong Institution 'A' Boys instead. I dare say that we learnt much more from the Hwa Chong match than what we would have learnt from the match with that particular team which did not turn up. In the end we managed to clinch the first place in the first round of competitions, beating three other teams in the group.

The second round of the tournament was a round robin, and it decided the first, second and third placings of each division. We had to play against Pei Cai Secondary and Raffles Institution. Sadly, we lost to Pei Cai Secondary with a scoreline of 2-1. A huge pity, but we managed to defeat Raffles Institution 7-6, securing the second place.

It was indeed a memorable experience, and all of us in the team have gained much from it. We batted, we fielded, and we scored. We learnt how not to succumb to external pressures, and learnt how to overcome problems together. But most importantly, we played as a team. I can say with confidence that we, the Catholic High Softball Team, have lived out every meaning of the word "team".

Truth to be told, I am truly honored to be part of this team, and I thank God for all this.


In another tone, condolences to Leo and his family. I truly hope that they would be strong. Life goes on. But indeed, it is hard sometimes.

Monday, March 13, 2006

what would you do?

indeed, a man's behaviour in his final moments does say a substantial amount about the person; how he lived his life and where his beliefs and loyalties lay.

Jesus had two "sinners" being crucified with him. These two represented the two extremes of our faith, which i believe still applies to all of us at present, even though this happening occured thousands of years ago.

the first extreme represented the people of shallow faith, or no faith at all. in his dying moments, he did not seek repentance for his wrongdoings, instead taunting Jesus along with the crowd.

you might be laughing at this person's "stupidity" as you read the Bible, but have you ever faced such a situation? substantial amounts of messages often escape the scope of our realization when we read the Bible; the result of our carefree, comfortable lives. how could you think in line with someone in his dying moments when you are resting comfortably upon the sofa? anyone would think that this man's behaviour in his dying moments was ridiculous. something you wouldnt even think of doing in your dying moments? that is where most people go wrong. no one really knows how one would behave in his/her dying moments, until one is faced with the situation itself.

the second extreme is the perfect example of true faith. what you would call a "model answer". but in fact, it is not easy for us to attain this level of faith, of spirituality. this man had never come in contact with God in his life, which he lived sinfully. but are we able to be like him? he put down everything in his life when he came in contact with Jesus. he believed, right when his chance came. now, how many times have we let go of the opportunities to bring anyone to God? for all you know, a slight notion of our faith may just be the thing that pushes him towards God. so never give up on every opportunity to spread the word.

these two people were being crucified based on their crimes; murder, theft, robbery and such. but Jesus did not care. to the "sinner" he said, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

one word of warning. this does not mean that we should just let go of our morals and repent in the last moments. that, in itself, is an act of foolery.

be smart, live right.

Friday, March 10, 2006

the trip

Trips, I've gone on countless numbers of them. Whether the Secondary Three Camp's trip to Pahang or a Root-Seeking camp's trip to Guang Zhou, they certainly were welcome additions to my hectic life. Trips need not necessarily be overseas, overseas trips are indeed more enriching than local trips. Not only does it broaden your perception of the outside world, you also get to experience how people in other countries live.

One unforgettable trip I had was the Root-Seeking Winter Camp in Guang Zhou in December last year. It was indeed a trip worthy of remembrance. The Winter Camp was an international camp organized by the Chinese government specially for chinese youths overseas. There were more than 300 people from practically everywhere. Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Mauritius, Vanuatu and many more. Name it and you've got it. Truth to be told, never in my life have I seen such a large congregation of people of different nationalities.

Everyone of us stayed in South China Normal University for the duration of the two-week camp. Taking wushu lessons and at the same time travelling around the province on educational trips. I found it hard to adjust to living in a culturally diverse community. Everyone thought differently. Everyone approached things from many contradistinct angles. It was a unique experience.

Winter temperatures in Guang Zhou has always been quite mild, and at that time the temperatures fluctuated around ten degrees. Even though temperatures were not too low, the winds were unforgivingly strong. Around the campus, one would often catch sight of overturned flower pots; the result of the constant barrage of wind. The main campus was behemothic; occupying hectares upon hectares of land, so much so that the word behemothic itself is an understatement. One would take approximately an hour just to pace around the circumference of the campus.

On the other hand, the campus itself was exceedingly beautiful. Flowers bloomed everywhere around the campus; despite the cold temperatures. The buildings were arranged in neat patterns, and there even was a park situationed right in the middle of the campus. The park was very well-kept. Just look around it at any time of the day and you would find a gardener or two tending to the flora in the park.

The people there were very hospitable. Even in the cold winter, all of us could feel this warmth emanating from these people. There was something in the air which made us feel at home. Made us feel welcomed. The hospitality of the Chinese indeed lives up to its name.

I would dearly love to return again one day, to return to the wonderful place that was my home for two weeks.

I certainly hope I will.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Beatitude no.1&2

went to church this morning, today being a sunday.. i have to accede that it was actually a pretty pleasant day.. not only due to the fact that i had an exhilarating time in church, but also due to the fact that i have wrapped up my weekend assignments!

today's sermon was on the second beatitude, and if you flop in your attempts to recall the contents of the verse itself, let me refresh your memory.

"blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted"

this sermon, in fact, is linked very closely to the first. and if your mind is again ineffectual in your ventures to recall the first beatitude, here it is.

"blessed are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"

i shall begin by explaining the first beatitude. As a typical carbon-based homo sapien (lol!), what is a person's general impression of the word 'poor'? one's mind will most probably turn to images of cadaverous, undernourished people squandering their time away looking for scraps of food to keep themselves alive.

if so, what is the impression one gets when one hears the phrase 'poor in spirit'? most probably images of shallow-minded, faithless people, ya? actually the true meaning behind the phrase is something entirely discrepant to the typical illustrations of the human mind.

the actual definition of one who is poor in spirit is an individual who realizes that he/she is lacking in every spiritual aspect, and thrives to better oneself's spiritual life ad infinitum. being 'poor in spirit' is a must-have virtue of a true christian. by being 'poor in spirit' one would have to realize one's own faults; simultaneously confessing all of them in humility before the Lord.

do we have many people in the present society who are equipped with these values? that presents all of us with a huge question mark. if we do not even have the basic essentials to live a true christian's life, how then, can we be prepared to enter heaven's gates?

one must humble ourselves before the Lord and confess all our sins and wrongdoings, working to right oneself's ways simultaneously. that, indeed, is the thing that plays a primordial role in one's attempts to lead the life of a true christian.


the second beatitude concerns mourning. and again i catechize the human mind. the typical human mind would instantaneously turn to images of people in a crematorium, mourning over the dead bodies of their loved ones. the true meaning of mourning in this verse, again, is comprehensively discrepant to the stereotypes of the typical human mind. the definition is of one who mourns perpetually. yes, perpetually. which, if your vocabulary does not permit you to comprehend it's meaning, means 'all the time'. not the kind of mourning in which you get over it within a few weeks. not that.

the perfect example of one who mourns, is Jesus. Jesus mourned all the time. he saw the sorrow of the people, and he mourned over it. one very short verse which brings out the gravityof the whole situation, is "Jesus wept."

two words. just two words, and yet it sends a substantial message across to it's readers. the message of Jesus' love for us, for us God's children.

do we have many people in our society who practices this? sadly i must concede that only a meagre number of people do it.

true mourning leads to salvation, but it cannot take place without the existence of spiritual poverty in our lives. true mourning is the sign of true repentance.

do we grieve over our sins? do we constantly appraise ourselves, so as to appear acceptable in the eyes of the Lord?

i must work hard, and i know that day will come. that day when i can stand firmly upon my feet, and say yes to both of these questions.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

CH v PCSS

score: CH 10 - PCSS 3
batting: 1 for 3, double. 1 RBI 0.333
fielding: no remarks. no errors, gotta keep that up
pitching: 2 innnings. 2SO 1HPB. crap. succesful double play

officially 2nd in south zone.

next match: SRC

Friday, March 03, 2006

identity

I read my daily devotions just a few moments ago and something dawned upon me,

the importance of the recovery of your identity.

Luke 19:1-10
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.
3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was of small stature.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today."
6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."
8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, " Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."
9 And Jesus said to him, " Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector in Jericho. Tax collectors of the time usually collaborated with the Roman authorities, and were often guilty of abuses. People despised them, especially Zacchaeus, as he was the chief tax collector. The synagogue disapproved of him, and the people shunned him.

The people of Jericho must have been wondering, why would this holy man want to sojourn in the dwellings of a sinner? They even brought Jesus' status and identity into question when He expressed His intentions to stay at Zacchaeus' house.

I wonder, what a life Zacchaeus led! No amount of money and power could compensate for the lack of acceptance shown by the Jewish community, his own people. It must have hurt deeply to see people abstain from him.

Zacchaeus' identity among the people was that of a sinner, a prevaricator, a charlatan. How was he to recover his true identity? Pretty obviously, the answer to the question is Jesus.

By inviting Himself to Zacchaeus' home, Jesus sought to re-establish Zacchaeus' identity. Zacchaeus, by welcoming Jesus to his home, not only saw the true identity of Jesus. Zacchaeus also experienced Jesus as the Lord and Saviour, the one who could restore his dignity as a true son of Abraham.

Have we, like Zacchaeus, discovered our identity as children of God? Or are we like the Jewish people, shunning and outcasting those who are trying to come to Jesus? Do we exclude anyone from our fellowship?

We are all sinners, and we all would surely have lost our identities as children of God. Face the truth about ourselves and seek acquittal, let the power and radiance of Jesus work in us, so that we may live in conformity with His will. So that Jesus may restore our dignity, and most importantly, our identity.

Wish everyone a fruitful Lent. Make good use of this time to rediscover the true meaning of our Christian faith, and surely our rewards will be due in time to come.

Hang in there

I almost forgot, congratulations to Noel house for emerging victorious in the Cross-Country Meet. My, my. First time in twenty years! Well done. At least Joseph house is in the top 3 =)

Thursday, March 02, 2006

a matter of choice

onward i looked, and there lay two paths, unclear through the mist.
what lay in hiding at the end of these, i had no clue

everything was shrouded in mystery,
engulfed by an ominous cloud of uncertainty.

such is the future.

one path sinisterly brims with misery and sorrow
a pathway that leads to the eternal glories of the holy sanctuary.

the other schemingly tempts with a life of worldly pleasures, of evil and wrongdoings
a pathway leading to the eternal fires of the altars of the damned,
a pathway leading to the burning embers, the dwellings of the cursed one.

once again i peered into the swirling depths of mist,
my eyes ineffectual in my attempts to see through the shroud of ambivalence.
i aimlessly swiped at the mist,
but it would not succumb.
the mist, the embodiment of worldly things and human shortcomings
why would it not cease to exist?

i refuted these worldly beliefs.
all attempts to clear my obstacle,
they were all unprolific attempts.
i was being too human, i was too foolish to apprehend,
i could do nothing.

nothing.
if i were to depend on my own incapacitated self.

i awoke and put my weight against the ropes that bound me to my foolishness
freedom beckoned.
silently staring at the blur before me,
i knelt down and prayed for guidance.

lo and behold, a light descended from the crepuscular sky
landing graciously upon the battered path.
it shone through the mist and gave me an unequivocal view of the path i was to take

my life is in my hands,
everything hinged on my choice

incessant glory,
or perennial suffering?

the light,
or the mist?

to the left,
or to the right?