It's 1 hour till 2008. Time to set new year resolutions and set them in stone.
My dad called me for dinner just now, quite a few times before I actually went down and ate with the whole family. I think we never sit at the same table for months? Maybe a year already. It's just our habit. We eat when dinner is on the table; we don't wait.
So I was late in going for the dinner just now; then after the dinner, my dad asked me: " Is it because you want to pray before you eat? That's why you don't want to eat with us?"
I was erm.. surprised. my prayer before I eat is just a "Thank you God for the food. Amen." I probably close my eyes for 2 seconds and its done. Haha.
But seriously, I think my dad's more religious than me. Haha.
Christianity is not defined by the way things are done, or what things are done. It's not a set of 'things-to-do'. Christianity is a relationship with God. Simple as that. Well, if that's hard to grasp; it's just like having a proper relationship with your Dad.
You relate to him like how you would to your father; respectfully, reverence, obedience and the like. You do what he asks you to, you don't do the things that displease him. That's being a good son. And that's exactly how we be good Christians. Good children of God.
Not complicated. Really, God is not interested in religion. There's no such thing as a way of doing things being 'holier' than the other.
The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. It always boils down to our heart, our intentions, our love in the end.
11.11 pm. 49 mins to 2008.
Back to my new year resolutions.
I was feeling really lonely just now. Ha.. alone at home on 31 Dec 2007 when everyone else is out there partying and having a good time.
I could almost start to feel sorry myself, until I spent my last 1 hour with God. Nothing beats the presence of God around you; the anointing of God on you; the weight of glory in your spirit; the peace of God in your heart.
I remember a year back in the earlier days, there's just this unexplainable joy in my heart. Just feel happy; no need perfect circumstances, God's presence brings that peace, joy in the Holy Spirit. =)
Praise the Lord!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Well,
it's post 96 since the time i started this blog at the beginning of this year. I initially wanted to change my blog because of various reasons, but well, looks like in the end it turns out I've been speaking my mind.
If you noticed...
I'm playing with my html tags here. Haha..
I've managed to upload (finally) another page unto my website! Praise the Lord. It's only one page, but it's a signal of many to come.
There's was this time that I was really not doing much on the web, I was just doing all the content offline, because I know I'll be concerned with playing with the html tags more than getting quality content out. But yeah, currently I have about 19 pages waiting to be uploaded.
Hopefully can get my website up by the beginning of the year =)
Honestly to say I've not been doing the best spiritually for this week and the last; i've been praying but it seems that I'm going nowhere. But whenever that happens, I always tell myself I'm on the verge of a breakthrough! Ha..
Praise the Lord. I finally see it coming. Yesterday I sat down at my computer to write an email to my cell group members; suddenly it seems like the anointing is coming back, and I remembered the verse; that he who waters others will himself be watered.
And as today I prayed; I told God, today I make a decision not to waste my time anymore. I want my every moment to be lived right, lived right in Your eyes. I want to die, and let Christ live in me. No longer I. No longer I but Christ.
And as I sat down to finally get to uploading my website, I suddenly feel that sense of purpose coming back to me. I'm getting it back.
One more, today I took a secular book and started reading it; it really spoke to me, and I realized I could say this and admit it, I haven't been doing the best these few weeks, and today I intend to make that difference. No more nonsense. No more wasted days.
I'm going to make today count.
Seeing as how people have been writing new year resolutions, I think it's my turn too. I have a knack of setting goals I'll never achieve, and as I take a look at my 2007 goals, the hit rate is .. 50.0%, 3 out of 6 reached . Not too bad lah, I think considering in 2006 I probably got like 0% or something.
Okay, this coming yeah my goals will be: (At least those I feel comfortable enough to say)
- Learn Driving
- Establishing Uni-Y as a premier community service club in SMU ( I don't know how to put a number to it)
- Go gym twice a week
- Quiet time to increase to 1 hour a day ( consistently, I've been doing it, but inconsistently =P)
- Get my webby up to 100 pages! ( Plus unstated target income)
- Intern at a consulting firm
I'll be putting it down on my excel sheet. Haha.. hopefully I can get a 100% hit rate this time. I guess that's about it for now. 2007 has been an amazing year; may 2008 be strength to strength, glory to glory, in cell group, Uni-Y, school, personal life!
If you noticed...
I'm playing with my html tags here. Haha..
I've managed to upload (finally) another page unto my website! Praise the Lord. It's only one page, but it's a signal of many to come.
There's was this time that I was really not doing much on the web, I was just doing all the content offline, because I know I'll be concerned with playing with the html tags more than getting quality content out. But yeah, currently I have about 19 pages waiting to be uploaded.
Hopefully can get my website up by the beginning of the year =)
And with that...
Honestly to say I've not been doing the best spiritually for this week and the last; i've been praying but it seems that I'm going nowhere. But whenever that happens, I always tell myself I'm on the verge of a breakthrough! Ha..
Praise the Lord. I finally see it coming. Yesterday I sat down at my computer to write an email to my cell group members; suddenly it seems like the anointing is coming back, and I remembered the verse; that he who waters others will himself be watered.
And as today I prayed; I told God, today I make a decision not to waste my time anymore. I want my every moment to be lived right, lived right in Your eyes. I want to die, and let Christ live in me. No longer I. No longer I but Christ.
And as I sat down to finally get to uploading my website, I suddenly feel that sense of purpose coming back to me. I'm getting it back.
One more, today I took a secular book and started reading it; it really spoke to me, and I realized I could say this and admit it, I haven't been doing the best these few weeks, and today I intend to make that difference. No more nonsense. No more wasted days.
I'm going to make today count.
My new year resolutions
Seeing as how people have been writing new year resolutions, I think it's my turn too. I have a knack of setting goals I'll never achieve, and as I take a look at my 2007 goals, the hit rate is .. 50.0%, 3 out of 6 reached . Not too bad lah, I think considering in 2006 I probably got like 0% or something.
Okay, this coming yeah my goals will be: (At least those I feel comfortable enough to say)
- Learn Driving
- Establishing Uni-Y as a premier community service club in SMU ( I don't know how to put a number to it)
- Go gym twice a week
- Quiet time to increase to 1 hour a day ( consistently, I've been doing it, but inconsistently =P)
- Get my webby up to 100 pages! ( Plus unstated target income)
- Intern at a consulting firm
I'll be putting it down on my excel sheet. Haha.. hopefully I can get a 100% hit rate this time. I guess that's about it for now. 2007 has been an amazing year; may 2008 be strength to strength, glory to glory, in cell group, Uni-Y, school, personal life!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Xmas
has come and gone.
We've had a great time at the church's Xmas Drama Production, truly the drama production is going from glory to glory, from top class to world class. I think it'll be a few more performances before we see these volunteers getting contract offers to act full time. Heh.
I've been a little disoriented in the spirit for a few weeks now. I don't know why but I seem to have lost focused in the things that I have to do; I was really feeling frustrated at some points. It's like I suddenly don't know where I'm headed.
But one thing I know, I just have to keep on keeping on. Stick to the commitments that I've made to the website, to Uni-Y, to church. It may be hard going, but we don't live by our feelings, we live by our commitments. And that's what I want to be: Someone who lives by his word, not by his feelings.
Anyway I spent a long long time with God yesterday, and thank God for his anointing. I know that no matter how disoriented I can feel in my life, or how aimless it seems at the moment, I know that Jesus is still leading me somewhere, albeit one that I have no grasp on now at the moment. Well, for this time, I'll try to find back that focus I had, but at the same time, trust God in this period. =)
My life is not built on my visions or my dreams, they're built on Jesus.
We've had a great time at the church's Xmas Drama Production, truly the drama production is going from glory to glory, from top class to world class. I think it'll be a few more performances before we see these volunteers getting contract offers to act full time. Heh.
I've been a little disoriented in the spirit for a few weeks now. I don't know why but I seem to have lost focused in the things that I have to do; I was really feeling frustrated at some points. It's like I suddenly don't know where I'm headed.
But one thing I know, I just have to keep on keeping on. Stick to the commitments that I've made to the website, to Uni-Y, to church. It may be hard going, but we don't live by our feelings, we live by our commitments. And that's what I want to be: Someone who lives by his word, not by his feelings.
Anyway I spent a long long time with God yesterday, and thank God for his anointing. I know that no matter how disoriented I can feel in my life, or how aimless it seems at the moment, I know that Jesus is still leading me somewhere, albeit one that I have no grasp on now at the moment. Well, for this time, I'll try to find back that focus I had, but at the same time, trust God in this period. =)
My life is not built on my visions or my dreams, they're built on Jesus.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
YMCA Appreciation Night
Had an interesting night at the YMCA Volunteer Appreciation Night.
It was an event to recognize the volunteers who had helped out with YMCA in one way or another, for us it was for the Y-camp challenge we attended last Sunday. Wow.. Last Sunday? Seems like forever, since Y-camp ended. Think it's because I've been in front of my computer all week.. well almost.. I'm definitely not going to retire if that's the kinda life I'm getting. Haha.
Met Steven Chia ( The Primetime morning Channel Newsasia guy) at the dinner. He was really friendly and sat down at our table to talk to us. Albert, the general sec of YMCA told me, "Hey he's sitting with you! Go ask him for whatever you want from him!", then Steven replied," No, I think I want something from him."
Haha.. what would this guy want from me? He's one of the YMCA directors, btw, so he's looking for accountants who might want to help him and his team formulate a scheme to help people financially; those who fall through the cracks, as he puts it.
So yeah,if anyone accountancy trained reading this blog wants to work with Steven Chia closely and help society through the formulating of this scheme, let me know. I put you in contact with him. I myself got quite alot for Uni-Y in my hands so I'm a little commitment phobic now. Haha..
But might just consider it myself.
Anyway really lots of open doors, glad I brought Daniel and Charlene along too. Haha. Think it was a really fruitful night; we invited alot of our campers to our Xmas service as well =)
Anyway that's it for now. Really excited for Christmas Service. Will be superb as usual.. Haha..
It was an event to recognize the volunteers who had helped out with YMCA in one way or another, for us it was for the Y-camp challenge we attended last Sunday. Wow.. Last Sunday? Seems like forever, since Y-camp ended. Think it's because I've been in front of my computer all week.. well almost.. I'm definitely not going to retire if that's the kinda life I'm getting. Haha.
Met Steven Chia ( The Primetime morning Channel Newsasia guy) at the dinner. He was really friendly and sat down at our table to talk to us. Albert, the general sec of YMCA told me, "Hey he's sitting with you! Go ask him for whatever you want from him!", then Steven replied," No, I think I want something from him."
Haha.. what would this guy want from me? He's one of the YMCA directors, btw, so he's looking for accountants who might want to help him and his team formulate a scheme to help people financially; those who fall through the cracks, as he puts it.
So yeah,if anyone accountancy trained reading this blog wants to work with Steven Chia closely and help society through the formulating of this scheme, let me know. I put you in contact with him. I myself got quite alot for Uni-Y in my hands so I'm a little commitment phobic now. Haha..
But might just consider it myself.
Anyway really lots of open doors, glad I brought Daniel and Charlene along too. Haha. Think it was a really fruitful night; we invited alot of our campers to our Xmas service as well =)
Anyway that's it for now. Really excited for Christmas Service. Will be superb as usual.. Haha..
Monday, December 17, 2007
Y-camp challenge
Well, it's been 2 days since I finished my Y-camp.
Y-camp is a camp created for the intellectually, phyiscally handicapped people ( People with Cerebal Palsy, Down's Syndrome and stuff) and we acted as facilitators and befrienders for them, helping them with everything from bathing, getting their food, making sure they don't run away from where they are and things like that.
We went to do the high elements, those high rope things that were 10 metres from the ground and various other challenges , as well as dragon boating.
I was allocated to a 13 year old Malay boy named Sharizan, who had Cerebal Palsy and was wheelchair bound. I basically had to take him everywhere, to the bathroom, onto the bus, and all. I think by the end of the 4 days I was an expert at pushing wheelchairs liao. Haha.. but he's an amazing guy.
Okay, short summary of camp done.
But it has been an terrifc experience! I thought it was one of the best camps I have attended. Suddenly I understand why people love Uni-Y FOC so much though I thought it was quite a normal community service camp. When we do community service in this way, there's this side of us that shows, what I would call the fundamental state. Haha..
And I think for alot of people it's a great process of self-discovery, knowing the fact that they have this side in them that doesn't serve just their own needs, but the needs of others. And tirelessly at that. I myself woke up at 530 am cos my boy wanted to do his prayers. After the camp I realized I had the capacity for more. If I could take care of this kid for 24 hours like that, okay minus sleeping time, from eating, to drinking, to serve his requests and stuff, what was it to serve people who only needed me for a while? Ha...
And Sharizan was amazing. I think he made a few people tear. This guy's got faith! Even though he was wheelchair bound, he wanted to try rock climbing! And he did! I think he even did better than some of the girls!!!! Okay la, partly cos got help from the bottom and from the belayers, but nonetheless his spirit is admirable!
And then he wanted to do this wire walk, where therre are two wires for you to walk across 5 metres above the ground without any hand support. I said okay, I mean since he wanted to do it, but when we reached the bottom of the poles, he asked me: "How do I do it?"
Wah.. faith! Haha. He doesn't even know how he can do it and he still wanted to go up sia! Anyway he tried to climb the pole, but he couldn't get up far enough to do the wire walk, but still...
one of my volunteer friends said she teared when she saw that.
So amazing ah. Someone who's physically handicapped dares to try so much, but yet for many of us who are fully okay, don't even dare to go up that rope.
I shared my revelation with my group that night. Haha " I realized that when we say we cannot , it's not a function of what we have, but it's a function of the fear in our hearts." This guy had only his hands to drag himself up, but he tried nonetheless.
Oh, and I shared also to be faithful with what has been given to us. This guy was wheelchair-bound but yet he told me he was participating in olympics next year.Wow. How many of us can even say we are going to participate in olympics in our lifetime? He has been faithful to what has been given to him, what more us who have more physically than he does.
Which actually brings a thought. I feel that people who say that God is unfair when he allows people who are born like that to be such. That's only true if we think that we need all our 4 limbs to live a fulfilling life. But yet how many people with working limbs actually live a good and meaningful life. Sometimes I think they have more than us. When you see these people, they have no fear when they do all these things. They have totally no problem dancing in front of a crowd!!! Ha.. I don't think I can say that myself.
Anyway, I think everyone should go for the camp, through watering others, we ourselves are watered. We see and understand more of ourselves even as we serve them. It had been an amazing time.
I wanna share about God's goodness also. It was through the writing of short notes to one another that I really saw what God had done in my life. Basically at the end of the camp we had to write notes to each other volunteer to say something.
Here are some of the comments about me(unedited for good english. Ha):
"A very impressed person"
"U'll be a good commander"
"Had a pleasant time "working" with you in this camp... you strike me as a pretty meticulous and careful guy who's always god the back of all of us covered... steady!"
"You are a great leader. Always willing to take charge of challenging tasks!"
" You're a very caring and responsible person who probably excels class participation 101. Impressive and rock on!"
"Hey you're a really charismatic person. God bless!" <- this guy left church long ago!! My goodness, he "God bless me". Praise the Lord. Haha And from my subcamp leader: "Hey, thanks for all the help for this camp. You're really good I must say. =) ... "
Okay la, still got nice comments about my singing (lol) but never mind, out of subject here.
But anyway I wrote this really not to boast about myself, but about God. As I read it, I was really bewildered, delightful surprised; I wonder what I had done to deserve that kind of comments. I know if it was the same me 2 years back, I'll probably go under the radar with comments like "Nice knowing you.", "Didn't talk to you much, but all the best!".
But now, with no thanks to me, and all thanks to Jesus...
I was so touched, cos it struck me what God had done for me these 2 years. That Sunday I went to service, I cry already. Haha. Long time never cry in God's presence, but after reading it, my heart really was filled with thankgiving. Glory to God. =)
I really look forward to more of what God can do in my life, and I can truly be an inspiration to the people around me. Like Xinhong. Ha..
Y-camp is a camp created for the intellectually, phyiscally handicapped people ( People with Cerebal Palsy, Down's Syndrome and stuff) and we acted as facilitators and befrienders for them, helping them with everything from bathing, getting their food, making sure they don't run away from where they are and things like that.
We went to do the high elements, those high rope things that were 10 metres from the ground and various other challenges , as well as dragon boating.
I was allocated to a 13 year old Malay boy named Sharizan, who had Cerebal Palsy and was wheelchair bound. I basically had to take him everywhere, to the bathroom, onto the bus, and all. I think by the end of the 4 days I was an expert at pushing wheelchairs liao. Haha.. but he's an amazing guy.
Okay, short summary of camp done.
But it has been an terrifc experience! I thought it was one of the best camps I have attended. Suddenly I understand why people love Uni-Y FOC so much though I thought it was quite a normal community service camp. When we do community service in this way, there's this side of us that shows, what I would call the fundamental state. Haha..
And I think for alot of people it's a great process of self-discovery, knowing the fact that they have this side in them that doesn't serve just their own needs, but the needs of others. And tirelessly at that. I myself woke up at 530 am cos my boy wanted to do his prayers. After the camp I realized I had the capacity for more. If I could take care of this kid for 24 hours like that, okay minus sleeping time, from eating, to drinking, to serve his requests and stuff, what was it to serve people who only needed me for a while? Ha...
And Sharizan was amazing. I think he made a few people tear. This guy's got faith! Even though he was wheelchair bound, he wanted to try rock climbing! And he did! I think he even did better than some of the girls!!!! Okay la, partly cos got help from the bottom and from the belayers, but nonetheless his spirit is admirable!
And then he wanted to do this wire walk, where therre are two wires for you to walk across 5 metres above the ground without any hand support. I said okay, I mean since he wanted to do it, but when we reached the bottom of the poles, he asked me: "How do I do it?"
Wah.. faith! Haha. He doesn't even know how he can do it and he still wanted to go up sia! Anyway he tried to climb the pole, but he couldn't get up far enough to do the wire walk, but still...
one of my volunteer friends said she teared when she saw that.
So amazing ah. Someone who's physically handicapped dares to try so much, but yet for many of us who are fully okay, don't even dare to go up that rope.
I shared my revelation with my group that night. Haha " I realized that when we say we cannot , it's not a function of what we have, but it's a function of the fear in our hearts." This guy had only his hands to drag himself up, but he tried nonetheless.
Oh, and I shared also to be faithful with what has been given to us. This guy was wheelchair-bound but yet he told me he was participating in olympics next year.Wow. How many of us can even say we are going to participate in olympics in our lifetime? He has been faithful to what has been given to him, what more us who have more physically than he does.
Which actually brings a thought. I feel that people who say that God is unfair when he allows people who are born like that to be such. That's only true if we think that we need all our 4 limbs to live a fulfilling life. But yet how many people with working limbs actually live a good and meaningful life. Sometimes I think they have more than us. When you see these people, they have no fear when they do all these things. They have totally no problem dancing in front of a crowd!!! Ha.. I don't think I can say that myself.
Anyway, I think everyone should go for the camp, through watering others, we ourselves are watered. We see and understand more of ourselves even as we serve them. It had been an amazing time.
I wanna share about God's goodness also. It was through the writing of short notes to one another that I really saw what God had done in my life. Basically at the end of the camp we had to write notes to each other volunteer to say something.
Here are some of the comments about me(unedited for good english. Ha):
"A very impressed person"
"U'll be a good commander"
"Had a pleasant time "working" with you in this camp... you strike me as a pretty meticulous and careful guy who's always god the back of all of us covered... steady!"
"You are a great leader. Always willing to take charge of challenging tasks!"
" You're a very caring and responsible person who probably excels class participation 101. Impressive and rock on!"
"Hey you're a really charismatic person. God bless!" <- this guy left church long ago!! My goodness, he "God bless me". Praise the Lord. Haha And from my subcamp leader: "Hey, thanks for all the help for this camp. You're really good I must say. =) ... "
Okay la, still got nice comments about my singing (lol) but never mind, out of subject here.
But anyway I wrote this really not to boast about myself, but about God. As I read it, I was really bewildered, delightful surprised; I wonder what I had done to deserve that kind of comments. I know if it was the same me 2 years back, I'll probably go under the radar with comments like "Nice knowing you.", "Didn't talk to you much, but all the best!".
But now, with no thanks to me, and all thanks to Jesus...
I was so touched, cos it struck me what God had done for me these 2 years. That Sunday I went to service, I cry already. Haha. Long time never cry in God's presence, but after reading it, my heart really was filled with thankgiving. Glory to God. =)
I really look forward to more of what God can do in my life, and I can truly be an inspiration to the people around me. Like Xinhong. Ha..
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
God changes lives
Here's an amazing video I found from Eileen's blog.. check it out.
Amazing what God can speak through a 13 year old. Such wisdom.
As Eileen said:
"Wisdom does not necessarily comes with age, but with God."
Wow. Another wise word. Haha.
And here's an amazing story of how God changes lives: By Mr Lee Xinhong.
Check his blog at http://fintel.blogspot.com/2007/12/nacl2-i-love-you-my-brothers.html
Ha.. for you who really want to know where this super zai guy (top accounting student with GPA 4.0! NUTS! Haha) gets his motivation from, and even where he started out, check it out. And you'll see that you can identify with his weakness, but as the Bible says, God's power is made perfect is our weaknesses...
Apart from we can do nothing.
Well Xinhong you made the fire burn inside me again. Your testimony is a reminder even for me that God is still working in me as He works through me. Jia you.=)
I recently came back from the Breakaway camp myself. I didn't participate though; I was helping the committee members with their organizing and execution.
I think I had a great experience just helping the leaders and working together with them. People like Sheryl, Xiaoting, Quanhan and Annie..which I probably worked a little closer with.. it's really an honour to work with them. These people who lead a group of youths to young adults are probably much more capable than the people you see around, in University or anywhere else.
But yet, they're not the people whom you see, throwing their weight around, using their influence to get what they want; they're the people who really go down on the ground and serve. Tie balloons la, put up decoration la, clear rubbish la.. but yet it's so much a given that people don't really notice or mention anymore. Such a heart of service, I have no problem doing the most grunt kind of work with these people around. Ha...
I think they all understand and know in their hearts, in the kingdom of God, the way up is the way down.
As I'm typing my blog, got back my Marketing grade. Not v satisfactory. But well.. my mind will be far away from it in about 5 mins. Nonetheless I'm also looking forward for next semester to start. I think the modules I bid for are really interested..
And really after changing my major to Management, I just really think to myself.. am I crazy to do that? It's like quite a stupid thing to do. I can get a stable job in Finance paying $5k a month at least and lots of career prospects, but yet.. I choose to go and do management which probably give me a job that pays much lesser and having less prestige.
Foolishness.
1 Cor 1:27-29
But... God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
Haha well I shall have no more self-doubt. I don't believe and will not stop believing that life's success comes from grades or from the major that you're taking.
Nonetheless I'm really dissatisfied with where I am know. I just look at the way I spend a day sometimes and I feel really pissed with myself. I can't believe I'm letting time go away like that. I really need to push myself to go faster and work harder. *roar* and after reading Xinhong's blog. Well. ROAR! Run run run.. Haha... I think I'll print out your testimony and stick it next to my com so that I'll get perpetually dissatisfied!! =P
Amazing what God can speak through a 13 year old. Such wisdom.
As Eileen said:
"Wisdom does not necessarily comes with age, but with God."
Wow. Another wise word. Haha.
And here's an amazing story of how God changes lives: By Mr Lee Xinhong.
Check his blog at http://fintel.blogspot.com/2007/12/nacl2-i-love-you-my-brothers.html
Ha.. for you who really want to know where this super zai guy (top accounting student with GPA 4.0! NUTS! Haha) gets his motivation from, and even where he started out, check it out. And you'll see that you can identify with his weakness, but as the Bible says, God's power is made perfect is our weaknesses...
Apart from we can do nothing.
Well Xinhong you made the fire burn inside me again. Your testimony is a reminder even for me that God is still working in me as He works through me. Jia you.=)
I recently came back from the Breakaway camp myself. I didn't participate though; I was helping the committee members with their organizing and execution.
I think I had a great experience just helping the leaders and working together with them. People like Sheryl, Xiaoting, Quanhan and Annie..which I probably worked a little closer with.. it's really an honour to work with them. These people who lead a group of youths to young adults are probably much more capable than the people you see around, in University or anywhere else.
But yet, they're not the people whom you see, throwing their weight around, using their influence to get what they want; they're the people who really go down on the ground and serve. Tie balloons la, put up decoration la, clear rubbish la.. but yet it's so much a given that people don't really notice or mention anymore. Such a heart of service, I have no problem doing the most grunt kind of work with these people around. Ha...
I think they all understand and know in their hearts, in the kingdom of God, the way up is the way down.
As I'm typing my blog, got back my Marketing grade. Not v satisfactory. But well.. my mind will be far away from it in about 5 mins. Nonetheless I'm also looking forward for next semester to start. I think the modules I bid for are really interested..
And really after changing my major to Management, I just really think to myself.. am I crazy to do that? It's like quite a stupid thing to do. I can get a stable job in Finance paying $5k a month at least and lots of career prospects, but yet.. I choose to go and do management which probably give me a job that pays much lesser and having less prestige.
Foolishness.
1 Cor 1:27-29
But... God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
Haha well I shall have no more self-doubt. I don't believe and will not stop believing that life's success comes from grades or from the major that you're taking.
Nonetheless I'm really dissatisfied with where I am know. I just look at the way I spend a day sometimes and I feel really pissed with myself. I can't believe I'm letting time go away like that. I really need to push myself to go faster and work harder. *roar* and after reading Xinhong's blog. Well. ROAR! Run run run.. Haha... I think I'll print out your testimony and stick it next to my com so that I'll get perpetually dissatisfied!! =P
Friday, December 7, 2007
The million dollar question
I recently wrote an email to some of my Exco after my encounter with Yee Loong, my tax professor, who is also the Director of Taxes at Deloitte and Touche.
Instead of re-writing, let me do some cutting and pasting:
I asked him a question," Prof, how important really is grades in the working world?"
I think this is the million dollar question we all want to know isn't it? Haha.
I can't remember the whole conversation but here are some gems I caught:
"When we pick a person for an interview, we don't just look at grades. We also look at the amount of participation in school activities. However, if the person doesn't have much else, we will just use the grades to gauge. It's just good to get you an interview. After that it is really up to how well you do in the interview process."
"We don't care about past performance. While the government sector thinks otherwise, but in the private sector, we pay according to the person for his performance during the year. It doesn't matter if you're a Summa Cum Laude ( First class) or just a person with a general degree. When you're in a job we don't care if you've got 5 As for your A levels or your GPA in university for that matter. You are graded according to your performance for the year."
"In the business and working world, it's all about EQ. How you relate to people, how you talk with people. Intelligence is definitely not a gauge of success."
Well, he just confirmed what I always have sensed in my heart. I just never got around to asking an employer until today. And a successful one at that. He even shared a story:
" I had an old student whom contacted me recently, she graduated 3-4 years ago. She said she wanted to ask me a tax question. I thought she just filed her tax returns wrongly and needed help, but it turns out that her husband ( who was 29 years old) wanted to know if the 12 million dollar business he just sold was taxable! This guy struggled through university in NTU, failed almost every semester and had to retake alot of tests. He worked at ST Engineering for 3-4 years but didn't like the job so started his own business. At 29, he sold a 12 million dollar business. And now at 36years old, he's comtemplating selling a 50 million dollar business!"
Wow.
But the point is: This is how important grades are. This is how important your dean's list is. Your Summa, Magna or whatever Cum Laude. At best, it gets you the interview. That's it.
It's important to work hard. We should. But grades should never be our pursuit. It's a perishable crown. Like a lifespan of 5 years? Your dean's list works for you till you graduate and it ends there.
It is important we excel, but let's put the things of God, the things that are eternal first. It's easy to want to run after what everyone else is running, but what they don't see is that: There's nothing at the end of the race. You can throw everything else ( Your ministry, your family, your relationship with God, with friends) away trying to get that nice looking GPA on your resumé, but there's nothing at the end of the rainbow.
*Cut*
Okay la, for the people who want to work in banks I guess your GPA matters more. But no matter what it is, the relevance of your grades still end at the interview. After that no more use.
Can't believe we're spending 4 years trying to do that. Amazing what culture can disillusion you with.
Instead of re-writing, let me do some cutting and pasting:
I asked him a question," Prof, how important really is grades in the working world?"
I think this is the million dollar question we all want to know isn't it? Haha.
I can't remember the whole conversation but here are some gems I caught:
"When we pick a person for an interview, we don't just look at grades. We also look at the amount of participation in school activities. However, if the person doesn't have much else, we will just use the grades to gauge. It's just good to get you an interview. After that it is really up to how well you do in the interview process."
"We don't care about past performance. While the government sector thinks otherwise, but in the private sector, we pay according to the person for his performance during the year. It doesn't matter if you're a Summa Cum Laude ( First class) or just a person with a general degree. When you're in a job we don't care if you've got 5 As for your A levels or your GPA in university for that matter. You are graded according to your performance for the year."
"In the business and working world, it's all about EQ. How you relate to people, how you talk with people. Intelligence is definitely not a gauge of success."
Well, he just confirmed what I always have sensed in my heart. I just never got around to asking an employer until today. And a successful one at that. He even shared a story:
" I had an old student whom contacted me recently, she graduated 3-4 years ago. She said she wanted to ask me a tax question. I thought she just filed her tax returns wrongly and needed help, but it turns out that her husband ( who was 29 years old) wanted to know if the 12 million dollar business he just sold was taxable! This guy struggled through university in NTU, failed almost every semester and had to retake alot of tests. He worked at ST Engineering for 3-4 years but didn't like the job so started his own business. At 29, he sold a 12 million dollar business. And now at 36years old, he's comtemplating selling a 50 million dollar business!"
Wow.
But the point is: This is how important grades are. This is how important your dean's list is. Your Summa, Magna or whatever Cum Laude. At best, it gets you the interview. That's it.
It's important to work hard. We should. But grades should never be our pursuit. It's a perishable crown. Like a lifespan of 5 years? Your dean's list works for you till you graduate and it ends there.
It is important we excel, but let's put the things of God, the things that are eternal first. It's easy to want to run after what everyone else is running, but what they don't see is that: There's nothing at the end of the race. You can throw everything else ( Your ministry, your family, your relationship with God, with friends) away trying to get that nice looking GPA on your resumé, but there's nothing at the end of the rainbow.
*Cut*
Okay la, for the people who want to work in banks I guess your GPA matters more. But no matter what it is, the relevance of your grades still end at the interview. After that no more use.
Can't believe we're spending 4 years trying to do that. Amazing what culture can disillusion you with.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
The power of prayer. Ha..
I just got back my Corp Reporting grade.
Worst grade ever in SMU! 2.5 years of it! 5 semesters.
B-.
Hah... REALLY pulled down my GPA.. 0.5 like that.
But the problem is I was feeling okay. Haha. I was praying 1 hour before my internet got fixed and then before I checked it.
The presence of God was still upon me. Still got the anointing. So when I saw the B-. No sadness. No nothing.
Ha.. Prayer is powerful. Maybe after the anointing lifts you'll start hearing me rant about it. Haha. But not now.
Time for facebook. =PPP
Worst grade ever in SMU! 2.5 years of it! 5 semesters.
B-.
Hah... REALLY pulled down my GPA.. 0.5 like that.
But the problem is I was feeling okay. Haha. I was praying 1 hour before my internet got fixed and then before I checked it.
The presence of God was still upon me. Still got the anointing. So when I saw the B-. No sadness. No nothing.
Ha.. Prayer is powerful. Maybe after the anointing lifts you'll start hearing me rant about it. Haha. But not now.
Time for facebook. =PPP
Monday, December 3, 2007
My most borrowed book is…
NOT faith…
NOT on financial excellence…
Not on leadership..
It's....
NOT on financial excellence…
Not on leadership..
It's....
a book on DATING: Boy meets Girl! Haha.
And it’s been borrowed until become jiam chai( battle-scarred) already. *Roar* my precious book is gone already, I'm going to bite!
But well, at least it’s getting good mileage. Hah…
Amusing, but practical la. Boy Meets Girl is a book on how a couple should deal with a relationship from the time of courtship till marriage. It touches on how any guy and girl should maneuver in a way that a courtship is purposeful and is moving toward something real, rather than just getting steady for the sake of feeling good and high..
I was telling my cell leader the other day; we’re really all at this age where it’s time for the birds to meet the bees, so it’s best that we address the topic before MTV gets to their heads.
And in fact, I think it’s a good thing that my friends start getting it from me. Haha at least everyone’s trying to find out God’s opinion on their second half rather than trying to understand a relationship through soap operas, fairy tales or MTV, I think it’s good to get a mature, godly perspective on how to approach a relationship.
I remember Xiaohui ( Don’t kill me if you read this) that day was also buying the audio CD by pastor on ‘Choosing the right partner for life’. HAHA. Caught in the act on buying! She told me not to laugh when I saw the title of the CD.
But I’m glad she wants to know, and I asked to borrow it when she’s done. Heh.
Anyway when I thinking about it one day, I realized that there’s one thing that really makes a girl attractive to me. It’s her spirituality.Clarification: Not her religiosity, but spirituality.
I realized that when I see a girl wanting to lay down her life for a cause, making a decision to love God more, taking more responsibility in the cell group. The attractiveness factor goes up. This is what Mingli told me before, that spirituality does make a person more attractive.
So well, anyway, I think that applies to every guy in church in general, not just me. Of course, besides the spiritual side, we look at the natural side as well. Like.. Same height or not, physically attracted to each other or not. The usual. Haha.
But back to it! Yes! It's a superb book for anyone who's ready for a serious relationship, whether you're Christian or not. Don't learn how to do it the wrong way from TV, learn the right way from people who have done it right!
My book's still on loan though, and someone just 'booked' the book again. When will I ever see that book again. Haha...
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