i kissed dating goodbye

Ok so for some reason the book I kissed dating goodbye is popular again. I've heard about the book but have not read it myself. Well today i went to salvation and got myselft a copy after it was offered to me by a friend after a conversation we had on the topic. There's a good chance that we'll get someone to speak on the topic next week in VCF.

I know what you are thinking, another post about the R word well i can't help it. I'm a big brother you know. I won't say much because I only read the first chapter and still not sleepy so will go on but i will say this. Before you go on starting a relationship, read the book. It will save you a lot of mistakes and give you the correct perspective.

So thats the end of my promotional message. Have a nice day :)

[update]

Its almost 3 and i've finished reading the first part. All i can say is if you haven't read the book get a copy. Life bookshop in Miri is out of stock but i think salvation has it. I'm going to sleep now.

~shalom~

flesh wounds

I had one of those days. You know the type that starts well and then twards the end something happens that taints it. 

Today i felt deprived because i couldn't get what i wanted and i didnt go against good judgement. Like a child who wants everything they see but a good parent will not grant their child their every desire so sometimes deprivation is a good thing. Makes you value something once you have waited for it for so long.

Today i also felt left out. Was talking to my friend and she shared about her life and how things are moving on with her bf and there was that feeling again. But i have to say with all my heart there's nothing i love more than to see two people so in love, especially if they are my friends and if they have chosen right. By right i mean followed the bible.

Its interesting the alarming number of christians who think its ok to date people who are of a different faith when clearly the bible does not allow this things. They're just getting themselves up for disaster. That said not all such cases end in disaster but in my opinion its not worth the risk. A large percentage of your total happiness or misery in life comes from who you choose as your partner and for something that serious why are people taking it so lightly?

I sound like an old man who does not get the world, and about time too. Its about time i show my age. 

Anyways i'll say pray for your friends, dont let things happen to them when you can do something about it. Sometimes people dont know what they are doing and need someone to point to the right path.

~shalom~

maru the cat

funny part starts at 4:25
~shalom~

through the hard times

In this faith that we have, the christian faith, we go through times of doubt and uncertainty. We come to the point where we want to know if we have believed in the right way or have been a victim of an elaborate con job.

At time stage in our lives and faith its worthwhile to remember how we came to know God, and to remember what we were saved from and to remember what we are saved to. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.

That God does not necessarily need me or you or anyone. That God is love and he has shown that to us in a way that no one has ever before or ever will again because man is incapable of that level of love and faithfulness. 

It is worthile to remember that God is good and nothing can separate us from his love and if it seems like he is far, to know that we cannot always trust our feelings but rest in his promises. If he cannot change, and his words are true forever than probably thats all the knowledge we can ever need to go through anything.

It is worthwhile to remember that we reap what sow, be it wheat or tares, that if we are being chastised by the father to remember that those he loves he chastens. To remember when we are angry that anger rests in the bossom of fools and the Lord has no delight in fools, that God is still the almighty as he is our loving father.

Hang in there, for the trial of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.

Father help me to remember you, as you are, everyday. The times are getting harder but i want to hold on to you. Only you are real. Arigaro O-tou san

~shalom~

get down

My new favourite song. Did i mention i like japanese songs? Found it while reading a blog post about url shorteners of all things. But before it i found the video below.



I don't see the relation.
~shalom~

Ok so its almost 4 in the morning and i can't sleep. There's a lot in my mind that i can't shake and i think this day will probably be one of those life defining days. I know i talk too much but i think its time for a change. There's a lot in my mind right now that i dont want to go away, i want it to stay. Enough is enough.

~shalom~

coming from a guy

"You held a certain fascination when you were beautiful, delicate and untouched. Now you remind me of my father's Arabians: Rode hard and put away wet. I don't want you anymore and I can't see why anyone else would."

Quote from gossip girl and coming from a guy its important to see this. For those girls that stay pure and avoid the promiscious life keep the fascination because once its lost, sorry.

~shalom~

they are worshipping God

Look at their faces oguchi, they're worshipping God.

Ms Hannah said this to me while we were at the choir concert performance thingy at mgc pujut branch. It was like one of c.s. lewis' books where he's like a narrator and yes i could see the difference between just singing and worshipping God and i realised i've not been doing much of that lately, worship God. 

I thank God that i can join the choir and remember what it means to truely worship my God. Tonight was a blessing :)

~shalom~

on gossip girl

Ok so i feel rather ashamed to admit this but i have been watching gossip girl. The first time i watched was when i dled for manda and then thought it was very sissy the way the super rich in NY acted and carried themselves. The superfluity of their lives and the extravagance of almost everything they do. Its really a girl's show but then my second encounter was in melissa's house after a bbq we all guys if i may add gathered round her pc and watched an episode. I remember saying i won't watch it again but you know better.

It so happens my housemate has it on his external harddrive and since we share files on the network I could watch when i am bored. Now i'm not that dedicated to dl for me but there's this chinese invention called ppstream where you can watch most of the latest american tv shows which is where i watch these days although still in s1.

So far what i can say is that i'm glad i dont come from that type of background. I'm not sure how true the show potrays real life but a certain hilton comes to mind and then there are little doubts. The show shows the depravity that money and the love of money brings, the cost in relationships with parents and children and the unhealthy habits that these young ones grow up with. Lets not forget they are all sweet sixteens or less well atleast in s1.

It kind of worries me, i can't imagine having to parent one of these children and its not just the children the parents themselves have, pardon me, screwed up lives, there's this intricate web of "pasts" between them that makes life complicated and rather awkward, a lifestyle of bad decision and wrong choices without any regard of the consequences.

I dont want to sound like i'm judging because lets face it, we all have "pasts" and again pardon me screwed up lives albeit in varying degrees. For me its purely educational or atleast thats my excuse to continue watching.

~shalom~

loved by Him

From one of my favourite psalms.

...Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If i go up to the heavens, you are there; If i make my bed in the dpths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if i settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If i say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me" even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you...

Sometimes i wonder how i would be if i were not a christian. What my life would be like. I probably would be miserable and get into some kind of addiction, find a way to escape the real world. Maybe cheat people and have no sense of integrity. Or maybe i would be a nice person doing good things for people, feeling good about myself. There was a time when i was young and after sitting outside the house observing the world go about its daily business, i honestly thought at that time, if everyone was like me there will be less problems. Now i know thats a dangerous thought.

One thing i have come to know is that God loves diversity, thats why there's not just one color, one type of plant or animal, why there's male and female, why there are people even twins with different characters, attitudes and beliefs. Different kind of languages and cultures. But whats beautiful is when all those differences come together for a singular purpose. If that purpose is to worship God then its a very powerful thing.

Today I am grateful that God saught me out and chose to save me. I know i don't deserve anything i get from him but i think its important sometimes to remember what we are saved from and what we are saved to. And its important to stop sometimes and reflect on what really matters. 

I may not be where i ought to be but thank God i'm not where i used to be. :)

~shalom~

friend and friends

She's nice, she has a good heart and they mean well but i made a promise.

~shalom~

birthday present

Ok so in a few weeks i turn 24 and i was thinking of getting a present for myself. Off the top of my head i can think of an ipod nano or a psp. What do you think? 

Thanks for all the comments. The psps have it. Actually its kind of cheaper than a nano :p

~shalom~

moon

So nice i couldn't resist.

~shalom~

on the brink

Yesterday we the alpha team went out to Lambir waterfalls. I've never been there and it was nice to get everyone out for some together time. 

I feel so disappointed in my photography skills. Most of the shots i took didn't turn out the way i wanted but there were a few good ones.

When we got there, after something like a 15min work the water looked nice. I brought my tripod to take a photo of the water fall and got some shots but not the way i wanted. It was so frustrating but oh well. 

When all the photos were taken went down to the water. I was really cold but after a while you get used to it.  The shallow part was really shallow so i thought i would go a bit deeper. Now normally i take my precautions since i can't really swim, i would remain in the parts where my feet will touch the ground and that was what i wanted. As i moved closer away from the shallow part there was this drastic drop and my feet didnt touch the ground anymore, i panicked.

Almost everyone in the water could swim but once i lost contact with the ground i was helpless in the water, started to sink. You know how you are like a yo-yo in the water, you go up and down as the waves move. When i got down, i thought wow this is it. I may never get up again, but then the water would lift me up again and i will raise my hand to let everyone know i'm in trouble. Yan wei tried to stretch his hands to get me and as soon as i laid my hands on it i pulled like crazy. He's quite thin so didn't have the balance to pull me out. I was pulling him in instead. 

I was puzzled why no one came to my aid, i was clearly in danger and they all thought i was kidding. I was jeremy who pulled me out just in time, i could have drowned there and died there and no one would have noticed until its too late.

That has got to be the most terrifying experience in my life. And i thought it through. All the what ifs and stuff. What a way to die. Would i go to heaven if i died? Did i sin prior to that moment? Nothing else mattered except for those two questions. 

But for some reason it didnt happen that way. Maybe its God's way of saying "i've got your back", "i'm here", "i've not stopped watching over you". And its true you know, God has not stopped watching over me, and indeed all his children. He guards them jealously. I hope i never forget this day so i will remember to put things in perspective.

 

~shalom~

openday 2009

phew what a day. Today was curtin's 10th anniversary celebration. For weeks we have been practicing saturdays and a few other weekdays for the three songs that we performed today. 

I never thought i would be singing in front of the chief minister in my whole life. I mean coming off the airplane from dubai to klcc if someone told me you'll be singing in a choir some day i would have laughed really hard in disbelief but life has its surpirises. 

We sang Negaraku. Yes, i know the words, and the Australian National anthem before the 10th anniversary celebration commenced. I will say we have come a long way from the first time we gathered to sing and there have been a few casualties along the way, people who didn't make the cut. I want to say its not because they could not sing but there was limited places for the performance. 

The last song was 'you raised me up' and even though everyone had left the recreational centre the dean wanted us to sing regardless so we had out time singing the beautiful song. I think of all the versions i've heard our version was kind of the best. Brought a few girls to tears. Emotional i guess to finally sing after much practice. 

After all the performance it was off to the booth to sell off all the delicious food. I  have to say vcf makes the best food for open day every year. Last year we sold taiwanese crepe that sold really well that this year some other club decided to sell it leaving us with something new.

We made sushi, Nachos, crepe and coconut juice. Sushi was the best seller, first to finish. Then went to nachos, and before long our crepe was gone and all that was left of the coconut business were the husks. I thank God la for his favour in our club. Its really not that we can cook or have these great people or ideas its really how God uses these things to make us happy and look good.

Every year there's lucky draw and every year i tell myself that i have a chance to win. This year the grand prize was trip to Perth Australia courtesy of Royal Brunei Airlines. Needless to say this was not my year.

Sigh, all in all thank God for his grace. A big thank you to the open day organising commitee they really put a lot of effort into making the open day a success. Especially Mr. Yap hehe. Ok thats it.

~shalom~

the 21 day challenge

They say if you want to develop a new habit you have to practice it without interruption for at least 21 day. I read a book that said, one month is a better time period so i thought lets give it a try. 

I think you will all agree we all have areas in our lives we need to improve, areas that may not necessarily be bad but an inconvenience none the least. 

I think i want to start small. Start by waking up at 6.30 everyday and sleeping at 12. Read one chapter of proverbs and one chapter of psalms before i even look at my computer and pray for atleast 15mins.

I thought of something drastic like only coming online for 4hrs a day but i don't think i can manage.

So there's my challenge. Wish me luck.

~shalom~