Every now and then, there are people who go about making bold claims, upsetting the usual flow of things and causing ripples of disturbance everywhere they go.
They are the harbingers of controversy; some become their devotees and apprentices, while yet others scoff at their claims.
Seeing further and wider than most, they point out blind spots within their targeted demographic, commonly inciting the wrath of the blind ones. They are not shaken in the least by what people say of them, because they believe it.
Concerned with where we're heading, they spark ideas and revolutions. But many are either afraid or cynical and choose to over-analyse before making any commitment whatsoever.
Shying away from direct limelight, or embracing it like a long-lost friend, they can be found everywhere. Their appearance usually puts people off in one way or another, as they don't quite care to be crowd pleasers.
In whispers or shouts, their voices are unmistakable.
We know these remarkable people either as prophets or lunatics. Usually, time makes the distinction.
The question now is, who are the prophets of this generation?
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
It's Raining Outside
I'll be leaving for home today. It's been quite a holiday here in Singapore; my only regret is that I could not meet up with Jon save for a very short time at church on Sunday.
It's raining outside. The first morning shower since I came, I think (maybe even the first shower of all!). God has this peculiar way of knocking on my door in my seasons of sin. I don't know if it's surprise, anger, joy, humility or awe that best describes my feelings when I look at the falling rain; maybe a little of each.
Often in my struggles against trials and temptations, I rarely emerge victorious. And everytime I fall, God sends some sort of sign. This year, it's been rain, sometimes in showers, sometimes in storms.
Coincidence? Maybe. Superstition? Not at all. This is his world; what right have I to dictate the paths of the weather? Why he gives so many chances to us, to me, I do not know. Why does creation give a damn about the clod of unnoticeable dirt in the galaxy?
Humans fall short of describing or capturing the beauty of nature; Debussy tried with La Mer and failed. Vivaldi tried with The Four Seasons and failed. Poet after poet has had his hand at it, yet they too have failed. Even the illustrious Monet's paintings don't do justice to the least of nature.
Waves, stars, sunrises, sunsets, petal showers, morning showers...
Morning shower. The rain seems to have stopped. The earth dries up again.
See you in Malaysia.
It's raining outside. The first morning shower since I came, I think (maybe even the first shower of all!). God has this peculiar way of knocking on my door in my seasons of sin. I don't know if it's surprise, anger, joy, humility or awe that best describes my feelings when I look at the falling rain; maybe a little of each.
Often in my struggles against trials and temptations, I rarely emerge victorious. And everytime I fall, God sends some sort of sign. This year, it's been rain, sometimes in showers, sometimes in storms.
Coincidence? Maybe. Superstition? Not at all. This is his world; what right have I to dictate the paths of the weather? Why he gives so many chances to us, to me, I do not know. Why does creation give a damn about the clod of unnoticeable dirt in the galaxy?
Humans fall short of describing or capturing the beauty of nature; Debussy tried with La Mer and failed. Vivaldi tried with The Four Seasons and failed. Poet after poet has had his hand at it, yet they too have failed. Even the illustrious Monet's paintings don't do justice to the least of nature.
Waves, stars, sunrises, sunsets, petal showers, morning showers...
Morning shower. The rain seems to have stopped. The earth dries up again.
See you in Malaysia.
Monday, December 27, 2004
Two Movies
I discovered this video rental outlet that provides rentals of VCDs and DVDs at the rate of S$5 for up to seven days, depending on the movie. So I picked up three titles that I was unable to watch in the cinemas -- The Pianist, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Fahrenheit 9/11.
The Pianist and Eternal Sunshine were really good, but unfortunately I fell asleep near the beginning of Fahrenheit. Guess politics and me just don't go together ;-P
In The Pianist, there were these two scenes that caught my attention. The first was before the Jews were deported to concentration camps, when the Nazis were carrying out random executions and going about making fun of the people and torturing them like nobody's business.
A Jewish man said to Wladyslaw Szpilman (the Pianist, played by Adrien Brody), "I've stopped believing in God a long time ago." No doubt many Jews shared his sentiments during the Holocaust.
The second, was near the end when Szpilman says to a Nazi officer who had supplied him with food and water after hearing him play, "How can I ever thank you?" and the officer replies, "Don't thank me. Thank God. He wants us to live."
I'm not making a religious statement here, rather highlighting the contrast. Out of context, they mean nothing, these words. But in the face of some of the worst atrocities committed by man, people began to see goodness and hope for what they truly were, and found it in the most unlikely of places.
Eternal Sunshine is a great movie; watch it and you'll know why. Just be prepared for some mental exercise. There was this quote from Alexander Pope, mentioned in the movie, and I found it quite unique and profound:
How happy is the Blameless Vestal's lot?
The world forgetting by the world forgot
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
Each prayer accepted and each wish resigned.
The tale is a bittersweet story of two lovers who have each other erased from their memory, only to realise how much they still like each other, how much of each other remains in a part of their minds that cannot be accessed by anyone. Some eternal quality of the other, that remains permanently lodged in them.
It's really been some time since I watched such moving movies.
The Pianist and Eternal Sunshine were really good, but unfortunately I fell asleep near the beginning of Fahrenheit. Guess politics and me just don't go together ;-P
In The Pianist, there were these two scenes that caught my attention. The first was before the Jews were deported to concentration camps, when the Nazis were carrying out random executions and going about making fun of the people and torturing them like nobody's business.
A Jewish man said to Wladyslaw Szpilman (the Pianist, played by Adrien Brody), "I've stopped believing in God a long time ago." No doubt many Jews shared his sentiments during the Holocaust.
The second, was near the end when Szpilman says to a Nazi officer who had supplied him with food and water after hearing him play, "How can I ever thank you?" and the officer replies, "Don't thank me. Thank God. He wants us to live."
I'm not making a religious statement here, rather highlighting the contrast. Out of context, they mean nothing, these words. But in the face of some of the worst atrocities committed by man, people began to see goodness and hope for what they truly were, and found it in the most unlikely of places.
Eternal Sunshine is a great movie; watch it and you'll know why. Just be prepared for some mental exercise. There was this quote from Alexander Pope, mentioned in the movie, and I found it quite unique and profound:
How happy is the Blameless Vestal's lot?
The world forgetting by the world forgot
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
Each prayer accepted and each wish resigned.
The tale is a bittersweet story of two lovers who have each other erased from their memory, only to realise how much they still like each other, how much of each other remains in a part of their minds that cannot be accessed by anyone. Some eternal quality of the other, that remains permanently lodged in them.
It's really been some time since I watched such moving movies.
Food in Singapore
We went for dinner last night at this place called Chomp Chomp in Serangoon, a hawker-food court kind of place.
I saw this signboard there that read: "Please lower your voices to reduce noise after midnight." Immediately I realised Malaysia has no such thing. I mean, isn't it after midnight that our voices are raised, especially in Mamakland?
And it also dawned on me during dinner, that so far, I cannot recall ever seeing nasi lemak on a Singaporean menu (except maybe in hotels). No bandung too... let alone bandung panas, which I had recently tried and enjoyed very much.
If I remember correctly, I once asked Audrey about the quality of mamak in Singapore, and she replied, "What mamak?"
Will be returning to the motherland on Tuesday.
I saw this signboard there that read: "Please lower your voices to reduce noise after midnight." Immediately I realised Malaysia has no such thing. I mean, isn't it after midnight that our voices are raised, especially in Mamakland?
And it also dawned on me during dinner, that so far, I cannot recall ever seeing nasi lemak on a Singaporean menu (except maybe in hotels). No bandung too... let alone bandung panas, which I had recently tried and enjoyed very much.
If I remember correctly, I once asked Audrey about the quality of mamak in Singapore, and she replied, "What mamak?"
Will be returning to the motherland on Tuesday.
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Sol Invictus
Christmas was actually the celebration of the Unconquered Sun, or Sol Invictus, in Roman times. This was the post-winter-solstice sun, and the holiday and symbolism were later adopted by Christianity.
Saw Jupiter and Venus at 6:30 this morning; Venus was shining brightly even as the sun was rising, near the horizon, while Jupiter was high up overhead. The full moon is due exactly 3:06 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time tomorrow (Sunday).
At Church this morning, there was this man who sung with such resonance in his voice, that it sounded rather as if we were in an opera house, not a church! It reminded me of something Max Lucado wrote some time ago, about how tenors (and other classical singers) can't hide their 'colours' no matter where they go, and in this case, the singer in the man obviously shone.
As I listened to the pastor preach, it seems we always cover the same old ground at Christmas time, year after year... with key words such as:
sin
redemption
personal life
assurance of heaven
salvation
It almost seems to easy. Is there anything more? When will Christmas hold for us, once again, the mystery of something way beyond our comprehension?
Saw Jupiter and Venus at 6:30 this morning; Venus was shining brightly even as the sun was rising, near the horizon, while Jupiter was high up overhead. The full moon is due exactly 3:06 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time tomorrow (Sunday).
At Church this morning, there was this man who sung with such resonance in his voice, that it sounded rather as if we were in an opera house, not a church! It reminded me of something Max Lucado wrote some time ago, about how tenors (and other classical singers) can't hide their 'colours' no matter where they go, and in this case, the singer in the man obviously shone.
As I listened to the pastor preach, it seems we always cover the same old ground at Christmas time, year after year... with key words such as:
sin
redemption
personal life
assurance of heaven
salvation
It almost seems to easy. Is there anything more? When will Christmas hold for us, once again, the mystery of something way beyond our comprehension?
Friday, December 24, 2004
Choice?
I just heard over Singapore's Channel NewsAsia, "Singaporeans have too many food options to choose from," (or something to that effect)...
Looks like the so-called 'hub' of Southeast Asia has added yet another feather into its cap; but wait, isn't Malaysia the true land of food? Isn't eating our pride?
Oh well, tomorrow is Christmas, and I shall not argue. Let us remember those who are all alone this Christmas, who go hungry even as we finish up the last of our turkeys and roast meats.
We live in this land of plenty; why must millions go hungry?
Have an blessed Christmas everyone.
Looks like the so-called 'hub' of Southeast Asia has added yet another feather into its cap; but wait, isn't Malaysia the true land of food? Isn't eating our pride?
Oh well, tomorrow is Christmas, and I shall not argue. Let us remember those who are all alone this Christmas, who go hungry even as we finish up the last of our turkeys and roast meats.
We live in this land of plenty; why must millions go hungry?
Have an blessed Christmas everyone.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Today
It appears I'm finally catching up with long lost sleep. Woke up at 11.00 today... OK, maybe that's early for some, but it was kinda shocking to be one of the last to awake this morning.
Bought the Band Aid 20 single, Do They Know It's Christmas, whose CD also comes with the original Band Aid recording (1984) and the Live Aid concert performance of 1985. Actually, I'd merely sampled a little of it at the HMV store, for the sake of hearing Bono sing "And tonight, thank God it's them instead of you," the line he apparently immortalised in the original recording of '84.
But some things lead to other things, and well...
The moon is almost at its highest in the night sky tonight, and by the looks of it, I won't be able to get much stargazing done for a week, until the moon recedes once again. Then again, now's my chance to examine the moon for all its worth in binoculars ;-)
I'm thinking of my failures as a Christian, as a person... I find that I can now identify with what Bono said about wanting to be a Christian, only that he finds he's not good enough. It's the hardest calling anyone can consider in this life.
God doesn't punish people for doing 'wrong' things, but for settling for too little, I believe. What are we, creatures made for eternity, doing wallowing in the mud of our earth-bound lives? What's wrong with me? I don't really know where to go from here, only I hope I will be able to decide. Only the One who made me can now lead me forward.
Talked to Sivin this afternoon over the phone, about the prospect of me taking up a 'job.' It's an opportunity for me to use on of the greatest skills God has endowed me with, and I feel much can come from it if I say yes. But the commitment required is great, and seems likely to be gradually more demanding.
We decided that since I'll still be busy studying in the coming years, and since opportunities do come again, it would be wiser to let this one go. For now at least.
I'm sitting next to the Christmas tree. 'Tis the season of joy and peace, and yet...
On one end, some celebrate by boozing away late nights with friends, wasting themselves away as if there were no tomorrow. On the opposite end, there are those who try to convince everyone of the 'true meaning of Christmas', throwing a plethora of Bible verses at the masses.
This year, I wonder if there's anything more? Beyond a baby born in a manger 2000 years ago. Beyond the Saviour, the Creator made incarnate. Beyond all the stories everyone has to tell, from the love of God, to Santa Claus, to the card that was inadvertently sent to the wrong person some umpteen Christmases ago... is there more?
Maybe it's just me, being a little over-influenced by Michael's d'NA closing address, in which he asked a similar question about us following God. But still, staring at the cosmos, staring at the stuff around me...
Good night for now.
Bought the Band Aid 20 single, Do They Know It's Christmas, whose CD also comes with the original Band Aid recording (1984) and the Live Aid concert performance of 1985. Actually, I'd merely sampled a little of it at the HMV store, for the sake of hearing Bono sing "And tonight, thank God it's them instead of you," the line he apparently immortalised in the original recording of '84.
But some things lead to other things, and well...
The moon is almost at its highest in the night sky tonight, and by the looks of it, I won't be able to get much stargazing done for a week, until the moon recedes once again. Then again, now's my chance to examine the moon for all its worth in binoculars ;-)
I'm thinking of my failures as a Christian, as a person... I find that I can now identify with what Bono said about wanting to be a Christian, only that he finds he's not good enough. It's the hardest calling anyone can consider in this life.
God doesn't punish people for doing 'wrong' things, but for settling for too little, I believe. What are we, creatures made for eternity, doing wallowing in the mud of our earth-bound lives? What's wrong with me? I don't really know where to go from here, only I hope I will be able to decide. Only the One who made me can now lead me forward.
Talked to Sivin this afternoon over the phone, about the prospect of me taking up a 'job.' It's an opportunity for me to use on of the greatest skills God has endowed me with, and I feel much can come from it if I say yes. But the commitment required is great, and seems likely to be gradually more demanding.
We decided that since I'll still be busy studying in the coming years, and since opportunities do come again, it would be wiser to let this one go. For now at least.
I'm sitting next to the Christmas tree. 'Tis the season of joy and peace, and yet...
On one end, some celebrate by boozing away late nights with friends, wasting themselves away as if there were no tomorrow. On the opposite end, there are those who try to convince everyone of the 'true meaning of Christmas', throwing a plethora of Bible verses at the masses.
This year, I wonder if there's anything more? Beyond a baby born in a manger 2000 years ago. Beyond the Saviour, the Creator made incarnate. Beyond all the stories everyone has to tell, from the love of God, to Santa Claus, to the card that was inadvertently sent to the wrong person some umpteen Christmases ago... is there more?
Maybe it's just me, being a little over-influenced by Michael's d'NA closing address, in which he asked a similar question about us following God. But still, staring at the cosmos, staring at the stuff around me...
Good night for now.
On the Island
I'm currently in Singapore. Yes, the island where the Great Monkey lives.
Went to the Orchard Road area today, hoping to pick up Ian Ridpath's Stars and Planets (illustrated by Wil Tirion) as part of my growing obsession with celestial bodies, the ABRSM Spectrum collection of contemporary works for solo piano, and the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (VCD). I could only find the second.
Swam a little this morning here at my uncle's condominium, where I'm staying. Back from the pool, I had a hot shower. It reminded my of Jon's blog on "Hot Showers" (you'd better believe it!). Well that's one more that I can add to my list of 'showers' I enjoy: meteor showers, petal showers, showers of rain, showers of light... and now, hot bathroom showers.
So what do I intend to do here, besides celebrate Christmas?
- visit the National Science Centre's Observatory
- go putting
- cycle at the East Coast Parkway
- get lost in the Esplanade Library
- meet Jon!
It's been a relatively productive visit so far (I arrived yesterday), speaking from a celestial standpoint. Saw Orion, Sirius of Canis Major, Procyon of Canis Minor, Castor and Pollux of Gemini, Saturn, Aldebaran and two other stars of Taurus, Capella of Auriga, and just tonight, the star Fomalhaut and the surface of the almost-full moon.
Surface lighting (artificial light from buildings etc) is a major bane (both in KL and here) to successful stargazing. Oh well, guess I'll have to put up with it until I can set up an observatory of sorts in Borneo...
It appears I'll be blogging less these few days, and enjoying myself here instead. So do expect some randomness in my online visits ;-)
Went to the Orchard Road area today, hoping to pick up Ian Ridpath's Stars and Planets (illustrated by Wil Tirion) as part of my growing obsession with celestial bodies, the ABRSM Spectrum collection of contemporary works for solo piano, and the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (VCD). I could only find the second.
Swam a little this morning here at my uncle's condominium, where I'm staying. Back from the pool, I had a hot shower. It reminded my of Jon's blog on "Hot Showers" (you'd better believe it!). Well that's one more that I can add to my list of 'showers' I enjoy: meteor showers, petal showers, showers of rain, showers of light... and now, hot bathroom showers.
So what do I intend to do here, besides celebrate Christmas?
- visit the National Science Centre's Observatory
- go putting
- cycle at the East Coast Parkway
- get lost in the Esplanade Library
- meet Jon!
It's been a relatively productive visit so far (I arrived yesterday), speaking from a celestial standpoint. Saw Orion, Sirius of Canis Major, Procyon of Canis Minor, Castor and Pollux of Gemini, Saturn, Aldebaran and two other stars of Taurus, Capella of Auriga, and just tonight, the star Fomalhaut and the surface of the almost-full moon.
Surface lighting (artificial light from buildings etc) is a major bane (both in KL and here) to successful stargazing. Oh well, guess I'll have to put up with it until I can set up an observatory of sorts in Borneo...
It appears I'll be blogging less these few days, and enjoying myself here instead. So do expect some randomness in my online visits ;-)
Monday, December 20, 2004
Benefits of Laughter
I was going through some old issues of Inside the Human Body, and stumbled upon an article on laughter. Up until now, I always thought that Hunter "Patch" Adams is the only doctor who takes laughter seriously...
Both this year and last, one of the 'things to bring' for d'NA was 'a sense of humour'... I wonder if Scripture Union (SU) and the Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES) are aware of these medical benefits of laughter?
Anyway, here's the excerpt:
Health Benefits
Immune system -- laughter reduces levels of certain stress hormones that suppress the immune system and raise blood pressure. It also increases white blood cells.
Blood pressure -- laughter lowers blood pressure, and increases vascular blood flow and oxygenation of the blood.
Saliva -- laughter leads to increased production of salivary immunoglobulin A, which helps to prevent pathogens invading the body via the respiratory tract.
Exercise -- laughter exercises the diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles, which explains why people often feel exhausted after laughing a lot. It's estimated that laughing 100 times is equivalent to 15 minutes' workout on an exercise bike.
Mental health -- laughter provides a way to release negative emotions. Patch Adams pioneered the therapeutic uses of laughter.
So, I suppose all I have to do is... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha... ;-)
Both this year and last, one of the 'things to bring' for d'NA was 'a sense of humour'... I wonder if Scripture Union (SU) and the Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES) are aware of these medical benefits of laughter?
Anyway, here's the excerpt:
Health Benefits
Immune system -- laughter reduces levels of certain stress hormones that suppress the immune system and raise blood pressure. It also increases white blood cells.
Blood pressure -- laughter lowers blood pressure, and increases vascular blood flow and oxygenation of the blood.
Saliva -- laughter leads to increased production of salivary immunoglobulin A, which helps to prevent pathogens invading the body via the respiratory tract.
Exercise -- laughter exercises the diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles, which explains why people often feel exhausted after laughing a lot. It's estimated that laughing 100 times is equivalent to 15 minutes' workout on an exercise bike.
Mental health -- laughter provides a way to release negative emotions. Patch Adams pioneered the therapeutic uses of laughter.
So, I suppose all I have to do is... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha... ;-)
Thoughts from Bono (excerpt from the Christianity Today website)
The following was adapted from the article "Bono's American Prayer", published in Christianity Today in early 2003.
He doesn't attend church regularly. He prays frequently. He likes to say grace before meals. He tries to have a "Sabbath hour" as often as he can. His favourite Bible is Eugene Peterson's paraphrase, The Message.
Bono quips:
"I just go where the life is, you know? Where I feel the Holy Spirit. If it's in the back of a Roman Catholic cathedral, in the quietness and the incense, which suggest the mystery of God, of God's presence, or in the bright lights of the revival tent, I just go where I find life. I don't see denomination. I generally think religion gets in the way of God."
"Everybody wants to make an impact with their life, whether it's small scale with friends or family--that's really big, is the truth--or whether it's on a grand scale, in changing their communities and beyond... [one pastor recently advised:] stop asking God to bless what you're doing. Find out what God's doing. It's already blessed. I want to align my life with that."
On the African AIDS and poverty emergency, he says:
"There should be a civil disobedience on this. You read about the apostles being persecuted because they were out there taking on the powers that be... And there's a war going on between good and evil. And millions of children and millions of lives are being lost to greed, to bureaucracy, and to a church that's been asleep. And it sends me out of my mind with anger."
He doesn't attend church regularly. He prays frequently. He likes to say grace before meals. He tries to have a "Sabbath hour" as often as he can. His favourite Bible is Eugene Peterson's paraphrase, The Message.
Bono quips:
"I just go where the life is, you know? Where I feel the Holy Spirit. If it's in the back of a Roman Catholic cathedral, in the quietness and the incense, which suggest the mystery of God, of God's presence, or in the bright lights of the revival tent, I just go where I find life. I don't see denomination. I generally think religion gets in the way of God."
"Everybody wants to make an impact with their life, whether it's small scale with friends or family--that's really big, is the truth--or whether it's on a grand scale, in changing their communities and beyond... [one pastor recently advised:] stop asking God to bless what you're doing. Find out what God's doing. It's already blessed. I want to align my life with that."
On the African AIDS and poverty emergency, he says:
"There should be a civil disobedience on this. You read about the apostles being persecuted because they were out there taking on the powers that be... And there's a war going on between good and evil. And millions of children and millions of lives are being lost to greed, to bureaucracy, and to a church that's been asleep. And it sends me out of my mind with anger."
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Habakkuk and the Orchestra
There is this passage at the end of Habakkuk:
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
I read it for my morning devotion yesterday, and something struck me as I was listening to the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra at night; what happens when a musician isn't up to the task?
Do musicians treat performances as merely 'work', or are they constantly influenced and affected by their emotions? Can a conductor passionately command a performance of a lively and heroic piece, though choked by the news of the death of a loved one?
I look at the near 100 musicians (on average) on stage, and surely not all of them are having a great time; they all feel different emotions, have different experiences, and undergo different trials. And yet, when they come together, the music feels so united, almost as though they were all one, literally.
Is it possible for us to actually, realistically say, "My life is screwed up, yet I will rejoice in the Lord..."? Though all of our efforts fail, and there's no reason to go on believing, can we still carry on? If we can, then how? And if we know how, will we?
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
I read it for my morning devotion yesterday, and something struck me as I was listening to the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra at night; what happens when a musician isn't up to the task?
Do musicians treat performances as merely 'work', or are they constantly influenced and affected by their emotions? Can a conductor passionately command a performance of a lively and heroic piece, though choked by the news of the death of a loved one?
I look at the near 100 musicians (on average) on stage, and surely not all of them are having a great time; they all feel different emotions, have different experiences, and undergo different trials. And yet, when they come together, the music feels so united, almost as though they were all one, literally.
Is it possible for us to actually, realistically say, "My life is screwed up, yet I will rejoice in the Lord..."? Though all of our efforts fail, and there's no reason to go on believing, can we still carry on? If we can, then how? And if we know how, will we?
Friday, December 17, 2004
Help Needed
I think I need help putting up photos on my Blog.
And my problem is... I don't know how!
Oh, and I also need help adding links to other blogs/sites...
Anyone able to help?
And my problem is... I don't know how!
Oh, and I also need help adding links to other blogs/sites...
Anyone able to help?
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Purpose
I'm trying to see if this works, blogging via e-mail...
Yen, Sam and I were discussing plans for the upcoming d'NA reunion, and we arrived upon the question, "what's the point of having reunions?"
In my opinion, reunions should be a means by which to foster integration among the d'NAers. The 2003 reunions testify to our failure at even beginning to achieve this. Now that the Sabbath has been abused, to use a metaphor, how should we change?
Yen asked, should we do away with reunions, or bring about a paradigm shift? We all knew that the latter is the only logical choice; question is, how?
I think integration should be the main goal of 2005, especially since there appeared to be stronger integration even during camp this year. For some reason, the 12 days we had last year didn't exactly lead to a well-integrated community; cliques were formed (many unconsciously) and everyone more or less developed within their respective cliques only.
So if we're going to integrate the community this time around to such an extent that the bonds would be secure, we'll need to think of how we can use the reunions, rather than think of them as an end in themselves. Up until now, the reunions have merely served as euphoria boosters to keep the 'camp spirit' alive.
This may be a long shot, but I think we need to reconsider our approach to reunions in light of their purpose as markers or checkpoints in the far more subtle and significant process of integration. Still trying to figure out how; meanwhile, the first 2005 Reunion is scheduled for either late January or early February.
I was chatting with Jon about self-security, how sometimes we tend to copy others in order to hide our true selves, sometimes even because we're insecure and unsure of who we are. I suggested that it is possible to copy others to a certain extent, until one reaches a certain point of departure -- the threshold of individuality which sets us apart.
For example, I can copy Jon in climbing the monkey bars and cracking lame jokes. But then there are some things Jon can do that I can't; above all, he's able to do it naturally, while I need to put in quite a bit of effort. It is at this point that the individuality of a person is put to the test: to continue in vain, trying to actually 'become' the person, or take a few steps backwards and acknowledging his own self?
Jon said that's why he's the way he is; others can't change that, for he simply will not conform to anything but that which is truly him. I guess that's true of all the great people of the past; they're not afraid of who they are. Sometimes they're not very special, but in an attempt to escape conformity, they end up carving a unique niche for themselves.
You will see examples of this in people like Beethoven, Shostakovich, van Gogh, even Jesus Christ. These people always get into trouble, simply because society as a whole cannot tolerate 'odd-ones out'; what's ironic is that they may actually be the normal ones, bold in their stride, and we the weirdos who're more satisfied with 'living like others'.
I saw Orion a few hours ago; the belt is probably one of the most recognizable clusters of stars (as viewed from earth). Jon and I kinda made a sort of exchange. I gave him the link to Sky and Telescope, which is this really exhaustive guide to astronomy and space observation (for beginners, that is), while he told me about the book Stars and Planets by Ian Ridpath. It sounds interesting and I plan to pick it up from Kinokuniya when I go there later this week.
Anyway my eyes can barely open; sleep is pounding on my door... till this point tonight. Take care;
Ben
Win a castle for NYE with your mates and Yahoo! Messenger
Purpose
Yen, Sam and I were discussing plans for the upcoming d'NA reunion, and we arrived upon the question, "what's the point of having reunions?"
In my opinion, reunions should be a means by which to foster integration among the d'NAers. The 2003 reunions testify to our failure at even beginning to achieve this. Now that the Sabbath has been abused, to use a metaphor, how should we change?
Yen asked, should we do away with reunions, or bring about a paradigm shift? We all knew that the latter is the only logical choice; question is, how?
I think integration should be the main goal of 2005, especially since there appeared to be stronger integration even during camp this year. For some reason, the 12 days we had last year didn't exactly lead to a well-integrated community; cliques were formed (many unconsciously) and everyone more or less developed within their respective cliques only.
So if we're going to integrate the community this time around to such an extent that the bonds would be secure, we'll need to think of how we can use the reunions, rather than think of them as an end in themselves. Up until now, the reunions have merely served as euphoria boosters to keep the 'camp spirit' alive.
This may be a long shot, but I think we need to reconsider our approach to reunions in light of their purpose as markers or checkpoints in the far more subtle and significant process of integration. Still trying to figure out how; meanwhile, the first 2005 Reunion is scheduled for either late January or early February.
I was chatting with Jon about self-security, how sometimes we tend to copy others in order to hide our true selves, sometimes even because we're insecure and unsure of who we are. I suggested that it is possible to copy others to a certain extent, until one reaches a certain point of departure -- the threshold of individuality which sets us apart.
For example, I can copy Jon in climbing the monkey bars and cracking lame jokes. But then there are some things Jon can do that I can't; above all, he's able to do it naturally, while I need to put in quite a bit of effort. It is at this point that the individuality of a person is put to the test: to continue in vain, trying to actually 'become' the person, or take a few steps backwards and acknowledging his own self?
Jon said that's why he's the way he is; others can't change that, for he simply will not conform to anything but that which is truly him. I guess that's true of all the great people of the past; they're not afraid of who they are. Sometimes they're not very special, but in an attempt to escape conformity, they end up carving a unique niche for themselves.
You will see examples of this in people like Beethoven, Shostakovich, van Gogh, even Jesus Christ. These people always get into trouble, simply because society as a whole cannot tolerate 'odd-ones out'; what's ironic is that they may actually be the normal ones, bold in their stride, and we the weirdos who're more satisfied with 'living like others'.
I saw Orion a few hours ago; the belt is probably one of the most recognizable clusters of stars (as viewed from earth). Jon and I kinda made a sort of exchange. I gave him the link to Sky and Telescope, which is this really exhaustive guide to astronomy and space observation (for beginners, that is), while he told me about the book Stars and Planets by Ian Ridpath. It sounds interesting and I plan to pick it up from Kinokuniya when I go there later this week.
Anyway my eyes can barely open; sleep is pounding on my door... till this point tonight.
Take care.
In my opinion, reunions should be a means by which to foster integration among the d'NAers. The 2003 reunions testify to our failure at even beginning to achieve this. Now that the Sabbath has been abused, to use a metaphor, how should we change?
Yen asked, should we do away with reunions, or bring about a paradigm shift? We all knew that the latter is the only logical choice; question is, how?
I think integration should be the main goal of 2005, especially since there appeared to be stronger integration even during camp this year. For some reason, the 12 days we had last year didn't exactly lead to a well-integrated community; cliques were formed (many unconsciously) and everyone more or less developed within their respective cliques only.
So if we're going to integrate the community this time around to such an extent that the bonds would be secure, we'll need to think of how we can use the reunions, rather than think of them as an end in themselves. Up until now, the reunions have merely served as euphoria boosters to keep the 'camp spirit' alive.
This may be a long shot, but I think we need to reconsider our approach to reunions in light of their purpose as markers or checkpoints in the far more subtle and significant process of integration. Still trying to figure out how; meanwhile, the first 2005 Reunion is scheduled for either late January or early February.
I was chatting with Jon about self-security, how sometimes we tend to copy others in order to hide our true selves, sometimes even because we're insecure and unsure of who we are. I suggested that it is possible to copy others to a certain extent, until one reaches a certain point of departure -- the threshold of individuality which sets us apart.
For example, I can copy Jon in climbing the monkey bars and cracking lame jokes. But then there are some things Jon can do that I can't; above all, he's able to do it naturally, while I need to put in quite a bit of effort. It is at this point that the individuality of a person is put to the test: to continue in vain, trying to actually 'become' the person, or take a few steps backwards and acknowledging his own self?
Jon said that's why he's the way he is; others can't change that, for he simply will not conform to anything but that which is truly him. I guess that's true of all the great people of the past; they're not afraid of who they are. Sometimes they're not very special, but in an attempt to escape conformity, they end up carving a unique niche for themselves.
You will see examples of this in people like Beethoven, Shostakovich, van Gogh, even Jesus Christ. These people always get into trouble, simply because society as a whole cannot tolerate 'odd-ones out'; what's ironic is that they may actually be the normal ones, bold in their stride, and we the weirdos who're more satisfied with 'living like others'.
I saw Orion a few hours ago; the belt is probably one of the most recognizable clusters of stars (as viewed from earth). Jon and I kinda made a sort of exchange. I gave him the link to Sky and Telescope, which is this really exhaustive guide to astronomy and space observation (for beginners, that is), while he told me about the book Stars and Planets by Ian Ridpath. It sounds interesting and I plan to pick it up from Kinokuniya when I go there later this week.
Anyway my eyes can barely open; sleep is pounding on my door... till this point tonight.
Take care.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Seeing the Stars
Jon told me yesterday, that there would be a meteor shower these two days (Monday and Tuesday), the former being the peak period of the Geminid Meteor Shower, named thus because it appears to originate from the Gemini constellation.
I began looking out for them earlier while at the club, but it only proved futile due to the irritating swimming pool and golf course lights. Rule number one when it comes to stargazing: STAY AWAY FROM LIGHTS! The city is indeed the worst place to observe the heavenly bodies.
So once we reached home, my father, brother and I set up the telescope to try to get a glimpse of the shower; again it proved vain. But then, thanks to a relatively clear sky, we managed to see some 7 constellations; Orion, Canis Major, Taurus, Gemini, Pleiades, Lepus, and Procyon. The last time I'd ever stared up at the stars like this was many years back when my uncle showed my Sagittarius.
On the final night at d'NA, we saw a number of stars from the basketball court, though the lamps around us at STM clouded our vision, so to speak. We actually thought of sabotaging the main power supply, whose box was before us, right out in the open!
My two most significant encounters with nature this year (so far) came in the form of showers. There was the thunderstorm during my first 'mentor' meeting with Sivin, and he pointed out the significance of rain in relation to the journey we were about to embark on together; it's like a sign of renewal, washing away the past and preparing the ground for something new. It refreshes. Many times throughout the year, I would fall in different ways, and often, rain would come, and I would be reminded.
The second shower was the petal shower on Saturday in STM. The rays of light that streamed in onto the 'hill' facing east, lent a heavenly feel to the falling petals, and it was such a gloriously wonderful feeling to be literally buried beneath those petals.
A meteor shower would make it quite a trilogy! But then again, some things are not to be, and, as I have learnt, they may be delayed only because they are to come again in a manner or form beyond all that I might have first imagined. Time has a way of changing things. Perhaps the reason we change with time, is because the longer we live in this constraint, the more we realise we were never made for it. We were always meant for eternity, and I suppose time has a way of 'eternifying' our values, perspectives and lives.
Again and again, this line from Steven Curtis Chapman's song Treasure of You comes to my mind:
"...and painted the stars in the sky..."
God made the stars, he knows them by name, and he sees all of them at once, all the time. Indeed Dallas Willard was right in saying that God is perfect simply because this is his life; his is an overwhelming experience of all that is real and good and noble and just and beautiful.
I wonder, is it more incredible that God actually makes stars and wraps them in the canvas of darkness for us, or that we actually have eyes that can appreciate them in a way no invention of NASA's ever could or will? All it takes is a glance up into the sky to recognise constellations, to bathe in the beauty of creation, to know that it is in moments like these that eternity drops in and heaven says hi.
Even a fleeting glimpse of a dim star can inspire enough wonder to cause a person to count the brightest stadium lights rubbish. At the club, I could hardly see the stars, making out only as much as the famous Orion's belt. But then as I went indoors, suddenly the corridor lights seemed so insignificant that I would have gladly torn them out of their sockets, if only that the real stars may be more visible.
It is especially dangerous for those of us who live in the city, since we are inclined to think of light in terms of street lamps or bulbs lodged into our walls or ceilings. Until one has seen the stars (not just the sun!) for what they're truly worth, in their natural surroundings (please, no videos!), he cannot claim to know the least thing about light.
Life is illuminated not by the nefarious thousand-kilowatt devices that attempt to make the earth a glow-in-the-dark ball hanging in space, but rather the tiny glimmers of energy and glory that softly, quietly, yet assuredly and powerfully, light up the darkness.
When God said, "Let there be light!", I wonder if the whole universe was suddenly plunged into a flood of light... or was it only a speck, a fleeting flicker, that appeared and would continue to shine through?
Oh well, till the next meteor shower then!
Do check out NASA and space.com for such updates. I'll probably study the constellations a little; perhaps next year can be an adventure in stargazing? Now for a telescope guidebook...
I began looking out for them earlier while at the club, but it only proved futile due to the irritating swimming pool and golf course lights. Rule number one when it comes to stargazing: STAY AWAY FROM LIGHTS! The city is indeed the worst place to observe the heavenly bodies.
So once we reached home, my father, brother and I set up the telescope to try to get a glimpse of the shower; again it proved vain. But then, thanks to a relatively clear sky, we managed to see some 7 constellations; Orion, Canis Major, Taurus, Gemini, Pleiades, Lepus, and Procyon. The last time I'd ever stared up at the stars like this was many years back when my uncle showed my Sagittarius.
On the final night at d'NA, we saw a number of stars from the basketball court, though the lamps around us at STM clouded our vision, so to speak. We actually thought of sabotaging the main power supply, whose box was before us, right out in the open!
My two most significant encounters with nature this year (so far) came in the form of showers. There was the thunderstorm during my first 'mentor' meeting with Sivin, and he pointed out the significance of rain in relation to the journey we were about to embark on together; it's like a sign of renewal, washing away the past and preparing the ground for something new. It refreshes. Many times throughout the year, I would fall in different ways, and often, rain would come, and I would be reminded.
The second shower was the petal shower on Saturday in STM. The rays of light that streamed in onto the 'hill' facing east, lent a heavenly feel to the falling petals, and it was such a gloriously wonderful feeling to be literally buried beneath those petals.
A meteor shower would make it quite a trilogy! But then again, some things are not to be, and, as I have learnt, they may be delayed only because they are to come again in a manner or form beyond all that I might have first imagined. Time has a way of changing things. Perhaps the reason we change with time, is because the longer we live in this constraint, the more we realise we were never made for it. We were always meant for eternity, and I suppose time has a way of 'eternifying' our values, perspectives and lives.
Again and again, this line from Steven Curtis Chapman's song Treasure of You comes to my mind:
"...and painted the stars in the sky..."
God made the stars, he knows them by name, and he sees all of them at once, all the time. Indeed Dallas Willard was right in saying that God is perfect simply because this is his life; his is an overwhelming experience of all that is real and good and noble and just and beautiful.
I wonder, is it more incredible that God actually makes stars and wraps them in the canvas of darkness for us, or that we actually have eyes that can appreciate them in a way no invention of NASA's ever could or will? All it takes is a glance up into the sky to recognise constellations, to bathe in the beauty of creation, to know that it is in moments like these that eternity drops in and heaven says hi.
Even a fleeting glimpse of a dim star can inspire enough wonder to cause a person to count the brightest stadium lights rubbish. At the club, I could hardly see the stars, making out only as much as the famous Orion's belt. But then as I went indoors, suddenly the corridor lights seemed so insignificant that I would have gladly torn them out of their sockets, if only that the real stars may be more visible.
It is especially dangerous for those of us who live in the city, since we are inclined to think of light in terms of street lamps or bulbs lodged into our walls or ceilings. Until one has seen the stars (not just the sun!) for what they're truly worth, in their natural surroundings (please, no videos!), he cannot claim to know the least thing about light.
Life is illuminated not by the nefarious thousand-kilowatt devices that attempt to make the earth a glow-in-the-dark ball hanging in space, but rather the tiny glimmers of energy and glory that softly, quietly, yet assuredly and powerfully, light up the darkness.
When God said, "Let there be light!", I wonder if the whole universe was suddenly plunged into a flood of light... or was it only a speck, a fleeting flicker, that appeared and would continue to shine through?
Oh well, till the next meteor shower then!
Do check out NASA and space.com for such updates. I'll probably study the constellations a little; perhaps next year can be an adventure in stargazing? Now for a telescope guidebook...
Monday, December 13, 2004
Back from d'NA
It's been an amazing 9 days. Too much to blog about here, but let's just say d'NA was one overwhelming experience (once again) of all that is true and real and eternal.
In some ways, it was better than last year, as I saw better integration this year among the new campers, and greater maturity among the old ones. The epic continues, and now we've finished Part 2 of the Trilogy. In the coming year, I can only expect that God will continue to lead us further into the great adventure, to which he has called each of us.
I was thinking about the sacrament of communion, and come to think of it, the Lord's Supper as we know it, was only a very small part of the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples. The famous events that we know of from the gospel accounts, can be narrated within five minutes. Perhaps the foot washing would have taken another 10 or 15.
But surely at a dinner like that, it must've lasted a few hours. What happened then? I am once again brought back to the picture of the Jesus who loved the company of his friends. The Jesus who probably shared the meal out of commemoration and celebration, rather than trying to lay down a new institution.
The Lord's Supper as we understand it, was probably recorded only because it must have been new to the disciples, never mentioned before. I believe the rest of the conversations that night, centred about familiar ground, perhaps experiences they'd all been through together in the past.
Nowadays, we analyse everything that's written in the Bible, word for word; we check against historical context... Yet few are they who stop to ponder how it might have happened in real life. The gospel accounts are incomplete, and John makes that clear in his closing verse. All this while, the church has been zealously checking for accuracy, relevance and feasible application. But we've lacked the one gift God has in abundance more than anything else: IMAGINATION!
I think if God were to complain about anything regarding his body of believers here on earth, it wouldn't be anything remotely related to mission, theology, heaven and hell, or anything that usually bothers us. He wouldn't care less about who's carnivorous, herbivorous, amphibious, whatever. I think God would like us to be more open and creative in the way we see things.
People everywhere suffer from this constrained mindset that subjects all of reality to certain slavery at the hands of what we know as the Five Senses. Modernity and rationalism has done this to us; we now need to be more irrational, more crazy and wild in what we do. No, not reckless, but more daring; less certain about what lies ahead, but more sure about going forward.
Is it logical to lie in the middle of a road beneath a shower of falling yellow petals on a Saturday morning? No, unless you're convinced God is paying you a visit. That's just what we experienced on the last morning of camp. Such joy is the very epitome of reality. C.S. Lewis was right; the only two signs that we're not living in an illusory world is that there's pain and pleasure. I felt both at d'NA.
It's good to be back.
In some ways, it was better than last year, as I saw better integration this year among the new campers, and greater maturity among the old ones. The epic continues, and now we've finished Part 2 of the Trilogy. In the coming year, I can only expect that God will continue to lead us further into the great adventure, to which he has called each of us.
I was thinking about the sacrament of communion, and come to think of it, the Lord's Supper as we know it, was only a very small part of the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples. The famous events that we know of from the gospel accounts, can be narrated within five minutes. Perhaps the foot washing would have taken another 10 or 15.
But surely at a dinner like that, it must've lasted a few hours. What happened then? I am once again brought back to the picture of the Jesus who loved the company of his friends. The Jesus who probably shared the meal out of commemoration and celebration, rather than trying to lay down a new institution.
The Lord's Supper as we understand it, was probably recorded only because it must have been new to the disciples, never mentioned before. I believe the rest of the conversations that night, centred about familiar ground, perhaps experiences they'd all been through together in the past.
Nowadays, we analyse everything that's written in the Bible, word for word; we check against historical context... Yet few are they who stop to ponder how it might have happened in real life. The gospel accounts are incomplete, and John makes that clear in his closing verse. All this while, the church has been zealously checking for accuracy, relevance and feasible application. But we've lacked the one gift God has in abundance more than anything else: IMAGINATION!
I think if God were to complain about anything regarding his body of believers here on earth, it wouldn't be anything remotely related to mission, theology, heaven and hell, or anything that usually bothers us. He wouldn't care less about who's carnivorous, herbivorous, amphibious, whatever. I think God would like us to be more open and creative in the way we see things.
People everywhere suffer from this constrained mindset that subjects all of reality to certain slavery at the hands of what we know as the Five Senses. Modernity and rationalism has done this to us; we now need to be more irrational, more crazy and wild in what we do. No, not reckless, but more daring; less certain about what lies ahead, but more sure about going forward.
Is it logical to lie in the middle of a road beneath a shower of falling yellow petals on a Saturday morning? No, unless you're convinced God is paying you a visit. That's just what we experienced on the last morning of camp. Such joy is the very epitome of reality. C.S. Lewis was right; the only two signs that we're not living in an illusory world is that there's pain and pleasure. I felt both at d'NA.
It's good to be back.
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