this post is exactly one week overdue. think about it.
it just goes to show how different the standards are by which God and men measure things. By all earthly standards, it was a washout. One frantic week of planning, the now-familiar mild flutterings of panic, it all came to naught. Yet somewhere in the extremely-small crowd, God was doing something special.
And I guess it's time to get used to the fact that this is how it's going to be, much of the time. God shows his awesome power by working through those who are weak. what was that verse, "He has used the foolish things of this world to shame the wisdom of the wise." We can be absolutely sure to take no credit, when the event fails spectacularly. His ways are higher than ours.
and yet, the fact remains that i did it. if i had not done it, then perhaps God would not have had that singular opportunity to speak into someone's life. It's an obedience thing, and will always be an obedience thing. We do what we are called to, as best as we can figure out what it is we are being called to do, and God does his own thing through our feeble efforts.
And it's a remarkably freeing discovery, and humbling too. The progress of God's Kingdom is not dependent on our abilities - God works in spite of it, for His greater glory. The progress of God's Kingdom is only dependent on humility, and obedience. To do that to which we are called, and to call out to Him in our weakness. and failures are not necessarily reflections on us, but merely God accomplishing His work in a subtle way. It's utterly amazing.
Dec 30, 2006
Dec 25, 2006
SBWR
that's short for Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, where i was today. saw about a hundred crabs, a handful of giant mudskippers, and two monitor lizards happily basking less than a metre off the path.
saw a single magpie robin, and a copper-throated sunbird, both of which are apparently considered quite rare in Singapore. also huge flocks of what i THINK are curlew sandpipers. shore birds are more difficult to identify.
been to lazy to blog properly of late. been too busy. plenty to write about, no time to write it in. bah.
saw a single magpie robin, and a copper-throated sunbird, both of which are apparently considered quite rare in Singapore. also huge flocks of what i THINK are curlew sandpipers. shore birds are more difficult to identify.
been to lazy to blog properly of late. been too busy. plenty to write about, no time to write it in. bah.
Dec 15, 2006
The difference between learning and being taught is this: learning appeals
to our pride and ego...being taught requires submission and the acceptance
of authority. Learning can end up filling in the space between our
ears. But correction and discipline will not give up until there is
life-change. It's the difference between information and
transformation. God is never satisfied to fill our minds...He wants to
radically alter our lives. - Rick Foster
to our pride and ego...being taught requires submission and the acceptance
of authority. Learning can end up filling in the space between our
ears. But correction and discipline will not give up until there is
life-change. It's the difference between information and
transformation. God is never satisfied to fill our minds...He wants to
radically alter our lives. - Rick Foster
Dec 8, 2006
post-exam fever!
well. not exactly fever. don't thinki'm feverish. down with flu, though. missed the casting crowns worship concert thing. missing cell tonight too probably. yet somehow i'm glad.
there's nothing like being a little bit ill to make you appreciate how good life is. sitting in the car with my dad and sis, and talking about not much in particular, and enjoying it thoroughly.
i think i crave companionship alot more when i'm not feeling well. had no company on the way home, but at least i had a nice full-size pillow, which i was bringing back from hostel. slept rather well on the train. =)
there was once i told someone that it was probably true that guys thought about sex roughly 500 times a day. but that was where i was then. i think i was in the army at the time. i no longer think its true. i think it depends alot on where i am in relation to God at that point in time.
i have learnt that telling yourself you will not do something doesn't work. not for me, anyway. worked for Job apparently, who made a "covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a woman", but not for me. what works for me is when i approach God in the morning, and humbly ask for grace and His protection from the temptations that come to me, knowing full well and having proven over and over that i cannot do it on my own. and faith sustains me throughout the day.
I thank God for the exams that have just gone by, and for this first semester at uni. Never have been so stressed in my life - to the point of tears at one point. stupid term paper. But i have learned part of what it means to trust God, and to be a faithful steward of my time. i have learned about rest at appropriate times, and i have learned that whatever work we have, it has been given to us by God, and in doing it faithfully, we worship God. i've learnt about the dangers of self-indulgence.
the challenge is to remember this once next sem starts again.
i saw an eagle today. too far away to make out the species. i saw a small flock of white-crested laughingthrushes some weeks ago, and i think i'm learning to recognise their calls. and this big black bird with red eyes which i can't identify yet. another unidentified species of woodpecker. there's a scarlet-backed flowerpecker who like to hang around in the trees just outside my window, and i've learnt how to recognise it's calls. the amount of variety in the plumage of the birds is simply incredible. awe-inspiring. indescribable.
It's amazing what prayer does. Amazing how much God cares about the little little details in your life. Like how when i sit down in the outdoors to be quiet and i ask God to show me something amazing, He has never failed me. Like how I had some strange extended family function which i was rather dreading going for, and somehow my gf appears at the same table as me to keep me company all night. how i only fall ill on the day of my last exam paper.
and it's stunning how faithless, and prayerless i still am, in the light of all this. in spite of the joy i've had in my quiet times these past few months, i find myself drifting away again. letting my feelings, my physical tiredness, any excuse to get in the way. but it's all excuses. but i'm still learning.
there's nothing like being a little bit ill to make you appreciate how good life is. sitting in the car with my dad and sis, and talking about not much in particular, and enjoying it thoroughly.
i think i crave companionship alot more when i'm not feeling well. had no company on the way home, but at least i had a nice full-size pillow, which i was bringing back from hostel. slept rather well on the train. =)
there was once i told someone that it was probably true that guys thought about sex roughly 500 times a day. but that was where i was then. i think i was in the army at the time. i no longer think its true. i think it depends alot on where i am in relation to God at that point in time.
i have learnt that telling yourself you will not do something doesn't work. not for me, anyway. worked for Job apparently, who made a "covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a woman", but not for me. what works for me is when i approach God in the morning, and humbly ask for grace and His protection from the temptations that come to me, knowing full well and having proven over and over that i cannot do it on my own. and faith sustains me throughout the day.
I thank God for the exams that have just gone by, and for this first semester at uni. Never have been so stressed in my life - to the point of tears at one point. stupid term paper. But i have learned part of what it means to trust God, and to be a faithful steward of my time. i have learned about rest at appropriate times, and i have learned that whatever work we have, it has been given to us by God, and in doing it faithfully, we worship God. i've learnt about the dangers of self-indulgence.
the challenge is to remember this once next sem starts again.
i saw an eagle today. too far away to make out the species. i saw a small flock of white-crested laughingthrushes some weeks ago, and i think i'm learning to recognise their calls. and this big black bird with red eyes which i can't identify yet. another unidentified species of woodpecker. there's a scarlet-backed flowerpecker who like to hang around in the trees just outside my window, and i've learnt how to recognise it's calls. the amount of variety in the plumage of the birds is simply incredible. awe-inspiring. indescribable.
It's amazing what prayer does. Amazing how much God cares about the little little details in your life. Like how when i sit down in the outdoors to be quiet and i ask God to show me something amazing, He has never failed me. Like how I had some strange extended family function which i was rather dreading going for, and somehow my gf appears at the same table as me to keep me company all night. how i only fall ill on the day of my last exam paper.
and it's stunning how faithless, and prayerless i still am, in the light of all this. in spite of the joy i've had in my quiet times these past few months, i find myself drifting away again. letting my feelings, my physical tiredness, any excuse to get in the way. but it's all excuses. but i'm still learning.
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