Time out

Today is class outing day. Pity i can't go. Sigh. Perhaps this is the small price to pay for canoing. Nonetheless, at least i got the time to mug and stuff like that, and at times the marginal benefits of mugging outweigh the time cost incurred by partying. Not a bad sacrifice, i would say. Thank God.

But what i really want to thank God for is the ability to have some time out yesterday night and today, to take some time off my busy schedule to just rest and relax, just as i am taking time off to type this now.

Hmm?

Adapt

My former class is pleasant. My former class is quiet. Not that it is a bad thing by being towards the tranquil side, but its just that...well, I would get used to it anyway. 08S03A, quite the antithesis of 3Q, is the class i got transferred to, and no prizes for guessing that 3Q was my former class. Anyway, i thank God that i have finally settled down comfortably in this class despite the hectic schedule, and the people are nice anyways.

Nice and weird at the same time, but i thank you God, for them all the same.

First there's perpetually cool and composed Arvind who is especially obsessed with ticking clocks, Uncool Serene(well, i specially reserved the word "uncool" for you, but you're pretty cool actually) and Mirabel (Nelson and i have been joking about the both of them, more or "less", but if you do get the pun, know it's not true haha), Alex, who is some 100+ kg judo-ka (that sucks at playing GC games), Yi Chao (whose laughter is more deadly than the Ebola virus), Joel, Arielia, Yue Zhen (who walks, talks, laughs, acts, studies like Shayi...*and to think she doesn't belief me. Active denial) and last but not least, Sky Koh, the notorious King of the Hill, the expounder of nonsense and the epitome of rubbish. But the class loves him. And at times i can't help but agree.

Thank God that i've blended nicely and suitably in this class. If this class is my calling, God, please enable me to be a shining example, working through the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives. I guess it has to start with me.

Fitting in

Found

Yesterday, Sheng Hao supposedly lost my mp3 player, and was feeling guilty over loosing it for me. Sigh. Relax, it's not as if i am unable to live with it. It is, but a temporal possession. Today however, i found it again. Yay! Praise the Lord!

Well, that's the good thing.

But i do also want to thank God for the not-so-good things (btw if you haven't realised my posts may have been getting shorter and more compressed, littered with more short-forms especially through the days. Degeneration as result of progression. Sorry, because my time is gradually shortening).

Trained with senior team today, and for some reason although my strokes are still rather incompetent, Jiao lian said it was alright in the water. At least still of some acceptable standard. I must highlight the physical exhaustion after completing our land sets, which were performed after the water training. Water training was fun. And i can't row a T2 with either SH or Chins for nuts. No way. T1 is my baby.

Water was tiring but enjoyable. Blisters now cover my left hand, guess i've been gripping too hard. Land training aggravated that to fatigue, and at the fifth set, my shoulders were literally screaming. But i thank God, especially for helping me blend with the "older people" and adapt to the relatively harsh training conditions.

Thank God for this feeling of exhaustion, for without it i could have worked and rowed myself to death. Really. For complete greenhorns, rowing 12 k is retarded, especially since the fat T2 kept zigzagging. I love the T1.

And I love you God. May the Holy Spirit empower me and give me the strength to go by each day with thanksgiving, shining for Christ in this school.

Tired but Happy

New people

My new class doesn't seem quite new, for starters, perhaps because i feel rather acquainted with some people already. I want to thank God for that. But too acquainted maybe, because i have realized that the number of "damn"s and "shit"s have increased tremendously (please don't tell Albert or he'll begin to deduct points from my "bad words" quota *and then I'll have to treat everyone with milo bing T_T), so i guess that's something for me to pray about.

Overall this class is quite a bomb compared to my old class. They were more pleasant, definitely, and more endearing, but i guess this class is more amiable, and there are never dull moments (except during econs tutorial) as long as Sky Koh is in the house. He's full of nonsense or something like that, loves to make up funny rumors, eats rubbish for breakfast, but all of us simply love him. We can't do without you, Sky! Thank God for this new class... pray that i'll be less uncouth with my language so that can shine for Jesus !_!

Content

Coach

1.00 pm in the afternoon, just as we were about to canoe, it rained. Yes. Literally poured upon the Macritchie Reservoir, causing all of us to be cooped up underneath the roof protrusion of the canoe sheds, at the mercy of the overhead storm. Thank God for the rain, thank God for the clearing of the clouds.

Gosh. The past few day's posts have never neglected the subject of canoeing. Boring.

We proceeded with a short, brief period of kayaking in which for some reason or another, i spent barely five minutes in the water on the kayak. The distance peddled was pathetic, not even five hundred metres for that instance. And before i knew it, i had taken off my life jacket, and was on the pontoon again.

On land practicing our strokes, i realized i wasn't very good either. My punching was not high enough, not toward the center enough, deviating with each stroke either to the right or to the left. I just couldn't get it right, for a while. I was comforted to know that many of the seniors couldn't either, or at least for their first few trainings. Kaiyang had walked over to me moments before, saying that i had been chosen for the senior team. I guess i didn't really pay attention to his comment, brushing it off as a joke. It's like week one maybe?

Then after everything, when we were about to be dismissed Kaiyang called Nick, Sh and i behind the shed and told us the Coach had talent spotted us for the senior team. Training commences next Wednesday. Did i just hear something wrong. Wait. This can't be. No. What kind of nonsensical, unbridled, wacky criteria did the Coach use to select me, of all people? Was it my inability to even do proper push ups, was it because of my drippy strokes?

God. Thank you. I'll make the best of this opportunity. May your will be done, forever, just as it is being fulfilled right at this moment.

Pleasantly Dazzled

Change

After 5 days of straight pestering, i would reckon the receptionists and staff at the general office would have been rather well acquainted with me (exaggerating a little bit...) or at least have gotten used to my face during every appearance, trying to look lost and in need, always telling them the same words: i am from 08S03Q, the class does not support my new combi, i really want to take my new combi, so please help me work things out.

It did work out. I like my existing class. It is not the warmest of classes, though through our mild exchanges there is a subtle spirit of mutual concern coursing through the group. I guess i am going to miss my old class; it was quite a joy being with them, albeit a small group of sixteen-odd pupils. Not the most spontaneous or ecstatic of the lot, i nonetheless felt a certain unspoken affinity for the members. Sigh. As soon as i had joined i would be leaving.

I had prayed to God, committing this change into his hands. Of course i hoped that i would be joining some of my old classmates of beloved 0803Q, who had adjourned to their new lands earlier than i, but i told God that his will might be done in my life. In the end, i was transferred to 3A, after a brief but eventful meeting with VP Mr. Leong. Quite a funky guy with a weird Mr. Brown accent when up-close and personal. And i thank God that finally change has occurred. I will pray to make the best of this change.

I will make it my goal to live my life according to God's will, resting upon his promises. Marcu of the not so distant future, if you are reading this now, you had better adhere continuously to it, persevering and "working out your salvation with fear and trembling". Better ah!

Prayerful

Of push ups and missing buses...

I went again. Today. Justin suggested that i was on the verge of a mental breakdown, pushing myself too hard. I decided to go back, and guess what? About a third of those who went yesterday were present; a personal relief that convinced myself i was normal. Good.

My push-ups were already bad yesterday but they were so terrible that i requested to do pull-ups in exchange. Thank God Jing Cong was flexible. Compared to yesterday, i must say that by God's grace today's activities weren't as exhausting. Ooh but do my triceps still hurt! For some inexplicable, God-related reason, the rest of my upper body does not ache. Did the red sea just part?

Subsequently, the wait for 156 was a lengthy 20 minutes, yet as quickly as the bus had come it was gone again, as though the driver had turned a blind eye to us, the miserable fellows waiting at the stop. Thank God i met Chai Heng at the bus stop, and perhaps it was God's providence that arranged this meeting. We talked quite a fair bit before Sheng Hao and all his dynamism was roped suddenly into the conversation. Soon it became to certain extent, a rigorous monologue with Sheng Hao expounding tales from his life, his decisions, aspirations (he still wants to be an actuary! though he would want to thank God for that) while Chai Heng tacfully lending a ear just as a typical Chai Heng would (he's understanding and patient!) with mild interjections of laughter and comments in response.

I would like Sheng Hao to see that Christians are passionate about Christ not only in church but also in other aspects of life, and to clear some doubts of his by taking the most realistic and practical approach of influence; that is, through people. May Chai Heng be one of the first!

PT-Holic

Pain

Really. My triceps have never felt so painful in my life. Hitherto i've done exercises comfortably; today was the first time ever i had to do knee push-ups because my arms kept buckling. Please convert from push-ups to pull-ups. No. Not a chance.

But it was lax against expectations, though HKY and team guaranteed that more was in store for us. We were just at the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Nonetheless, the Lord sustained me, and though my triceps still feel unnerved even as i type now, i would thank God for a good time of training.

Really Really Tired

3, a car

One thing? The first thing? Not exactly the first thing on my mind.

But i realized only after stepping into the emptiness of the room that our tutorial group consisted of only three people. Not particularly embarrassing but initially uncomfortable. It so felt like a remedial class and the feeling just weighed in heavily through the first part of the tutorial. Our tutor was nice though.

Talk about doing group projects. But i thank God, because despite the awkwardness of the situation tutorial has become "tuition". Hope that doesn't change even if i'm changing class (although most likely it would also, sigh).


On the way back from running too i almost got knocked down by a car. Yeah the red light turned red (huh? what am i saying) and then i just crossed instinctively, barely noticing these two cars that careened past the junction. Perhaps if i had ran slightly slower, or had i disembarked from the pavement a second later, i would probably have been reduced to some flesh and a red puddle. Perhaps i was tyco, but i believe that this was God's protection over me.

Guess God had other plans. But in a way it was too close. Just too close to be true. All the conditions were perfect: fast car over speed limit, dashing pass the red light, *sotong guy running across with the assumption that the road belonged to his ah gong, and no looking left and right. I've been careful all this while, and all it could have taken was one mistake to end it all. Thank God it didn't end there. But even if it did, thank God, cos i'll probably see him sooner. I guess that's not a bad thing either.

Almost Unfortunate

Contentment.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

(Philippians 4:12,13)

Life is flooded with discontentment, people are distressed because they lack, stemming from an insatiable want to possess, and hence they express this discontent almost instinctively. What is truly lacking from our lives is the acknowledgment of what we do possess, and recognizing that what we do have is a product of the grace of Christ Jesus, who amply supplies us with whatever we need.

Praise and thanksgiving is sporadic, and the modern trend seems to be the very opposite; the relentless pursuit of more... and more, and the paroxysms of frustration and disappointment when we are unable to obtain what we want. Fallen people as all of us are share common desires, those of recognition, wealth, status, power, happiness, and in the pursuit of these things we neglect the greater joys and the value of God's presence in our lives.

I have lived my life hitherto without giving thanks to the Lord for the providing me with all my needs, be it physical, emotional and physical, ever so faithfully without fail. God has been very gracious to me, even though i did not do anything to deserve what I have now. It is regrettable that i am beginning only now.

I plan to each day, document in this blog at least one thing special that the Lord has done for me. So that if one day God may take what I have away from me, i will remember that what was given to me was not really mine to begin with, but a product of grace, that i will continue to give thanks, in whatever the circumstance. For I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Contentment with Godliness is Great Gain