Memories in the closet

Recently...being at home with mom = cleaning different parts of the house

This time it was my closet...

For ages, my closet has been packed with clothes (Nicki said there were enough clothes to clothe a small village) ...i never did understand why, because i'm not the kind that goes shopping every other week and buy tons of clothes..

in fact, i can count the number of new clothes i buy each year....

Countless times i have been asked to clean my closet and i have, but everytime, after taking out many clothes i still have tons of clothes in there, they seem never able to get less...

So this time, determined to really give it a good cleaning...

i took out all of the clothes and went through them one by one....

I looked through my clothes and discovered the reason why there are still so many clothes in my closet...believe it or not....i kept most of those clothes because of the story behind them...

Its hard to believe, but yea...i'm a sentimental person...looking through the clothes...i really remembered every story behind the clothes, and also when it was bought, where it was bought, who gave it to me and all...

It was like, Nickleback's song "Photograph" kind of feeling going through that pile of clothes (just that most of the normal people really do go through the photographs rather than clothes)

It was like each shirt had its own story...

Couldn't believe it but i still had clothes that i bought 10 years ago, and some i'm still wearing.

Clothes that was given to me for my birthday and i didn't want to ruin it so i never wore, and also clothes that i love so much that even though its discoloured i also dont want to throw away.

Clothes that were bought at camps, clothes that i bought with different groups of friends.

It really was like flipping through a photo album and remembering all the silly things we used to do...

As much as i would really love to hold on to all these items that has a memory attached to them...its time to let it go...memories can be fun, but sometimes it can be a load of baggage...

and aslo it takes up space for new things to come in...

like in the song written by Kenny Rogers "The Gambler"

he sings "every gambler knows, the secret to survival, is knowing what to throw away, and knowing what to keep"

Well i'm not a gambler..but i think that it kinda makes sense..hehe

So off they go into the plastic bags...

Now i've got more space for new stuff...

Guess its the same in life

as a chinese saying that says "if the old doesnt go, the new wont come"

Any voluenteers to help fill me wardrobe?? :)

New season, New day

Its a new season, its a new day....

Familiar phrase for most of my blog readers. We have been saying it for the last two months (i think)

New season with new changes, new challenges, new responsibilities...new everything...

Since then, things have been changing so fast. So fast that i've been hit left and right with changes that i thought would be coming only by the end of the year, or maybe even few years from now. I'm not one that takes changes easily..adjustments has to be made, so that i make sure that i am prepared mentally, physically and emotionally to take on the new season.....

So far, all's been good, and adjustments have been working.

I believe what doesn't break you, will make you stronger!!

I can do all things through christ who strengthens me!!

ITs a new season, its a new day!!

Bring it on!!

Apologies to my englsih readers

Dear readers who can't read chinese (which i think is almost 70% of my readers :p) I apologize for posting a chinese post prior to this. That was to defend my 12 years of chinese education :)

So just to amuse you guys, i'll just put the whole text thru google translate, see what comes out


Friends, stand up and move forward!

In life, many of our undulating road to go through, I do not know why a lot of things will happen, we need to face.

Many people will choose to avoid, choose not to face, choose to give up, choose to put things on the shelf, "shared freeze", which appears to be the best way to live on their own.

Friend,

I know it is difficult landing, and I know it hard to accept, I am aware of the need to move a lot of strength. No explanation has been given a lot of things, many things we can only let go of confidence, I believe that all is good, I believe everything will be all right, I think, after all, we will gain the victory, get blessings from them, there will be new things, but also start a good day.

Bible, John Chapter VIII of the 32 Vice-tone session, said:
"You will know the truth and the truth will make you free."

Do not go where other people how to look at things, their "line is, stop being a" day will see, others will see. There just will be the final victory! !

Friends, Come on! !
Stand up and continue to move forward, not to be tied setbacks, I believe that in the end you will get victory! !

Come on! !
I will support you.


Man, I'm glad that i don't write like that :) This teaches us that even when in a rush..do not rely totally on google translate to translate a whole phrase for you. And even if you really need to, please check the translation before you hand in whatever it was that needed translation :)

Btw some of the translation doesnt make sense, its not because i wrote nonsense...:p

朋友，站起来往前走！

在人生里，我们许多起伏不平的路需要经过， 很多事情不知为何会发生，需要我们去面对。

许多人会选择逃避，选择不要去面对，选择放弃，选择把事情放在架子上“摊冻”， 因为这看起来是最好的方式让自己继续生活。

朋友，

我知道陆很难走，我知道事情很难接受，我知道需要很多的力量去走下去。很多事情没有解释，很多事情我们只可以放信心下去，相信一切是好的，相信一切会没事的，相信一切事件后，我们会从中得到胜利，从中得到祝福，从中，会有新的东西，更好的日子从新开始。

圣经里，约翰副音第八章三十二届说：
“你们必晓得真理，真理必叫你们得以自由。”

别去里别人如何看待事情，自己 "行的正,站得正",天会看到,别人也会看到。有正义的， 最后会得到胜利！！

朋友，加油！！
站起来，继续往前走，不要被挫折绑着，我相信到最后你会得到胜利！！

加油！！
我会支持你的。

Meine Kompositionen ( My Compositions)

finally exams are over, the sem is over. 14 weeks passed so fast i can't believe that i have finished my 3rd year in uni. Just finished my German paper this morning ( which explains the title in German) which was my last paper of the semester. The exam was over in 15 mins, but we had to wait for 30mins b4 we could exit the exam hall.

This sem, just to fill up my credit hours and also learn some stuff about composing (as our church is heading towards that direction) had to compose two pieces to submit as homework.

As time was not something we all had, i just kinda sat down and just squeezed what could out, to fulfill the coursework. Ended up with a catchy but cheesy love song with a cheesy title "Love" and an theme and variation on the traditional folk song Joget Ketipak Ketipung titled "Jogeting around Ketipak Ketipung". The videos are taken from our final exam where we are required to perform our piece.

Not too proud of both, but hey, one of my first compositions and well, just wanna share it with all.

LOVE

For this song, the lyrics says it all. Got the inspiration from some of the stories my firends tell me..haha. Nicki who first heard this song says it was a cheesy love song, but in the end she could sing along with the chorus even without the lyrics..haha There's a bit of grammatical error too( The line with the *), haha but it does help to enhance the cheesy feeling :p

Performers( Right to left):
Shaker: Wai Yeung
Conga: Aik Hui
Acoustic guitar: ME
Keys: Kent
Vocals: Connie

Lyrics:
V1
Wonder how, and when it started
*How I feel for you has changed*
Your Face stand out
When you're in a crowd
And seeing you brightens my day

V2
How i wished that i could tell you
How i feel for you in my heart
but the fear of change
Stands in the way
Of saying these three words
I love you

Chorus
Wondering what you're doing
And where you are now
I would do anything to be there
Right beside you
Having all these feelings
just leaves me so confused
Wished that i could know exactly what to do

V3
If i risked it all to tell you
I sure hope that you would feel the same
And we'll share our days together
With you forever by my side
i'll show you how much i love you




Cheesy huh?haha i couldn't believe i wrote it..couldn't even sing it..haha...next song i write..will be a better one...


Jogeting around Ketipak Ketipung

This is based on a malay folksong, my idea was to arrange it for a full guitar ensemble, added a tambourine to add the festive atmosphere to it :)

Performers:
Extreme right -left
Cheng Yee
Me
Kent
Aik Hui
Wai Yeung



Well thats all i have for now..if i have more vids from the department, i'll share it ahha..

His Anthem

Easter day, a day with different meaning to many people. For some its a day where the easter bunnies hide easter eggs and chocolate bunnies. For some, its a chance to collect easter eggs on the pet society neighbourhood. Others its a time in which you will want to avoid the Jalan Gasing stretch coz it will be packed with cars.

For me, as a child, easter was always the time where popo Vivian comes and gives everyone in the children church a hard boiled egg each. It was also the time where u get dramas in which the large wooden cross that is stored in the back stage is used. I remembered once they did a drama in which they had to carry the corss with a person lyin on top of it (i always wondered how he managed to balance) and also we did "Sunday's on the way" by carmen for one year, or was that two :)

This year, was a little different from others. Yes being a christian we all know that, Jesus died on good friday and ressurected on easter, but still sometimes we do take for granted, how much this means.

Today, Pastor Chris lead the worhsip and his song list was really in line in telling the meaning of easter. He started off with "Salvation is here" by Planet shakers, then did the classic Ron Kenloy "Hallelujah, Jesus is alive", then Followed by "Majesty" and "One Day"
Worship songs were "Because he lives" and "The Anthem"

Though it seemed like really normal songs, but the two worship songs really brought out the easter message, plus what PAstor Chris said while introducing the songs, it was really an awesome session. "Because He lives" by itself says a lot

Because He lives
I can face tmr
Because He lives
All fear is gone
And because I know
I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives

Man, that song really hits the note. And its so direct. Followed by "The Anthem", for me, the praise and worship session was good enough to last the whole week.

Hallelujah, He has won the victory
Hallelujah, He has won it all for me
Death could not hold You down
You are the risen king
Seated in majesty
You are the risen king

He has won it all for me!! that is really comforting, especially during exam times haha. Glad that i have a King, Father, God and Friend that really cares so much for me.

To be or not to be...

Next week would be the final week of the semester..Exams would be coming soon, and with easter around the corner, plus all the work that needs to be followed up for the church renovations, it was a perfect ingredients for an emo session...

WHY ME???

Then i discovered, after hearing all the messages preached from the pulpit, after years of serving under the leaders of HSG, it was not easy to feel emo...

I mean definitely when we have so much to do, and when things don't seem to be going as it is, we will feel very "pek cek" and ask how come things are this way, but i realized that it was not easy to keep the dissapointed and helpless feeling. This is because that in our lives there is so much more to thank God for, rather than let the few small things that seem negative to pull your whole day down.

I have to admit, last week after looking through the things that has piled up and is waiting for my attention, and problems that we faced, i could hear the chorus of Simple Plan's song

"Untitled" - How could this happen to me...~~

Well i also realized that friends are important in thses kind of situations. I told a friend " I'm Emo..." then thank God for friends who say "RUUUN!" run away from those thoughts...run away from those feelings...coz they're stinkin thinking.

There is just so much more that those problems. I'm just so glad that i discovered...

On the subject of being emo it is with the choice...

To be..or not to be..

man how they have changed...

Just got back from an awesome camp last Wednesday. Pre-Mad camp.

I was not supposed to be there as i had class, but i was not able to pull myself away from the camp. It was not just the excitement of the feeling that something great was about to happen, but also...It was the people there.

For those who are familiar with the style of SE, pre-mad usually is held in church and well most of the time everything is well taken care of, which is a good thing because the committee is a bunch of young people with no experience in taking care of people younger than them, and most of the time they themselves are the people that we need to take care of.

After this camp, man i realized, all those "kids" have grown up.

Camp coordinator, Li-anne...
Used to remember her in sunday school not listening to the teacher, playing with her handphone, disturbing other people...now commanding ppl to "Listen and keep quite while poeple are up front talking ."

Sarah Loke
Remembered the first pre-youth camp when she said "How to do pumping...i cant la"
to the sarah that carried David's VOX amp all the way from the car park to chapel, and telling David "Hey i can do something you cant"

John Yong
Always branded as the trouble maker.. Still is :) but now a smarter one, and a more submissive one..and really fun to be around good transport arranger too...

Joseph Ng
Used to be the quiet little kid who floows his sisters around. Never looked like he would have friends, but now...one of the more prominent Worship Leaders, lead the saujana CF, and now also emceeing for games...(what happend to the quiet side??)

Garry
Also used to be just tagging around the sister...then now head of usher.

Timothy Liaw
From feeling lost from all the missed years from KL to knowing the direction to go..and a Very good and strict boy's coordinator :p

Oh well..since we're here talking about ppl..

David
Used to be the kid who plays too loud and too fast...to now...the musician who is going to berkley and plays with a metronome and tries to control his level. :)

Rachel
Remember the first mad camp in shalom villa..when i thought the onli thing she knew how to do was run...to becoming the HSG idol runner up

Razel
Changed from the girl with too much makeup, to the one who shines with natural beauty

Paul Lau
KT kampung boy who was bullied by younger ppl in church camp...to Prayer warrior for God

Ryan tan
From the young boy i prayed for hte first time when he was 11 years old...to a boy who didn't want to take over cf...to a young man who leads his own cf :)

Hannah Loke
From shy girl who doesnt talk(at least not to me) to service coordinator who orders me to do offering :p

Joseph Cheah
Little boy who likes to dance hawaiian dance...to young man who started cf...to young man who leads worhsip...to a young man who left a deep imprint in DP and HSG before going off to Australia

Tara Ong
From a little girl who says "jie i'm scared" to a young woman who's leading OCF :)

Elliot
From super Emo (no offence) to counsellor for emos :p

Nicki Lee
From a non chirstian with low self esteem to a christian who shares her testimony on stage and is able to pray over a congregation to bless the younger people

Ivan V
From first MAD (remember what happened :p) and gangsterish boy to a young man who's putting his knives to good use :)

Timothy Lau
From just wanting to serve as a drummer...to having a passion to minister to chinese speaking youths

Ben Soo
From a normal saujanian boy to a friendly minister in Laos (who still owes me a present :p)

Man...really proud of these people. Really glad to have you guys on board the SE flight :)
No matter where you are guys, what you're gonna do, where you're gonna go...
Lets keep Soaring for Jesus

New Year??so soon?

Well time has come and gone so fast. I didn't realize that i had left my blog idle for 2 months. Time has flown by, since the last post. It seemed like the semester just ended, then it started again...but i did have much fun in between though. Fun times go by really fast dont they :)

Though it seemed to pass by real quick, had a great december :) started with comming back from the trip to perth feeling refreshed physically and spiritually, then the african christmas, then loud christmas then christmas itself then new year...it was really a month filled with so much activity and fun.

Then we started the year with Dr Naomi Dowdy's conference which was really a good start and now planing for the youth concert in feb. Its all really cool.

I'm really excited and looking forward to things this year. I really cant wait for the next day to come coz even though yea there is still the workload of studies and the ministry, i just know its gonna be great. and that things can only get better, not worse.

15 days into the new year, still excited, still looking forward and expecting good things.
Regardless of what the newspaper say, i believe that 2009 is going to be a GOOD year.
And that through the doom and gloom, there will definitely be a BLOOM..

Life's great isn't it :)

Chinese new year's comming and i'm definitely looking forward to it..hehe not only the ang pows, but also a time to spend with family and friends. (of course more to the ang pows hehe)

Looking forward to have a good year this year...