Flight Of The Conchords

I guess its been a long time since I posted a video here. So here's one! It is a band called "Flight Of The Conchords" with their runaway hit "Business Time." Yes it is full of sexual innuendo, but please just let your hair down and develop a sense of humor, we are all adults right? We should be able to take it. Enjoy! Tell me what you think.

Going Green

I believe most people have the wrong idea when they decide to go green, based on the recent articles I have read on the Forum pages of the local newspaper, they all think that it is going to be cheaper. I am referring to the recent complaints be people to convert their vehicles to run on CNG. CNG or Compressed Natural Gas is suppose to burn cleaner so it is better for the environment, it is also cheaper too since it is not as high as current oil prices. But recently there have been complaints about how the thing will be more costly in the long run or how it is not exactly cheap in the first place.

Even if going green ends up being cheaper, I believe it is not the right way to think about such things. Think about how expensive solar panels are and how power saving bulbs actually cost more when you buy them. If you think hybrid cars are cheaper, think again. There is extra cost involved to maintain 2 engines instead of 1. Plus I believe spare parts for the electric engine are not going to be cheap.

Unfortunately, I guess people will not make a lifestyle change unless there is something good in it for them. But is this the way we should look at this issue? I believe that if one wants to go green, they should not expect anything in return. It is something you commit to because you are doing something good for the earth even if it ends up costing you more. Sounds self-righteous and idealistic? Well I believe it is the attitude and the way you approach the subject.

The purpose for going green is to preserve this planet nothing more, nothing less. If it ends up being cheaper all the better for you, it is a bonus, not an entitlement. A lot of people get turned off because even if they are doing it, there is a vast majority of people who aren’t. Why should they put in the extra effort and cost? All I can say is we should not care about what other people are doing. Never underestimate the power of one man/woman. You can be the difference maker.

I guess all I am trying to say is this. Go green for the sake of going green, to make the world a better place. Not just because it will give you a temporary benefit. Sounds too idealistic? Well everything starts from ideals.

Next!

Ha! Its been quite long since my last post. Really don't have much to say, everything in my life is now either pending or on hold. All I can do now is pray and hope for the best. The next big thing I can think of personally is my job confirmation, which will be on the first week of September. Time really does fly.

Although the next logical step is to accept the confirmation, I really feel prompted to pray about it. I guess it is a form of discipline, seeking God even though the answer is more or less what I expect. Or it could be something else altogether, who knows? All I know is this, I cannot get too comfortable with whatever phase I am going through in my life because God does have a way of yanking the carpet right from under you.

Each day I live, I live at His mercy. Everything I do, I do with His strength. Everytime I fall, I fall on His grace. Everytime I love, I love with His love. I really do hope and pray I and live and demostrate these traits in my life. The news coming out from church and home are far from encouraging, I really do need Him now

Enough

The hardest lesson that a christian has to learn is that God allows bad things to happen to us. The very people he claims to love. How we react to it says a lot about us as christians. Things are not going well ever since I made a commitment to stay in RCC.

I grossly dislike the way that I was transferred to my new cell group. Things I hear from my church friends are not encouraging as well as other personal stuff that is happening. Details that I will not go into. I am really discouraged by the combination of things that are happening. I do not have doubts, I am frustrated that I have been led to such a state. It is hard to see God's sovereignty in times like this, hard to see that I can contribute any good to the entire situation because it simply turns me off.

The position I am in now creates more problems than it sovles, but the frustrating thing was that I did not put myself in this position. I was pushed into it by circumstances beyond my control. I was defenseless, no chance to voice my two cents worth either because I felt that God did not want me to or that I was simply powerless to let my voice be heard.

I am not in this position be choice and I demand to know why!

But in the mists of my moaning, I got reminded about someone who was in much deeper shit than me but still demanded much less. No, I am not talking about the typical china man that will work twice as hard with half the pay ;) I am talking about Job. When Job suffer disaster after disaster, he was frustrated. He could not figure out what on earth he could have done for God to treat him like that. He did in fact ask for an explaination from God and he had every right to. But......

Did God give it? No.

Did Job complain? No.

Job recognized that in whatever shit he was going through all he needs is God's presence with him. No need for vindications, explanations or apologies. No need for God to bring justification and judgment to my enemies, no need to slap people with gloves to "demand satisfaction"(some of you will know what I mean. Haha!). All I need is God's presence with me.

But currently, is God's presense enough for me? Sadly no. Being human I still demand to know the how and why of things. But I am really learning and trying to make it enough, trying to accept God's sovereign hold on my life. It is a lesson I will never stop learning.

Cell Group Muscial Chairs

They say that change is the only constant in this world. I lost my faith in cell groups for a time, I thought that they were a waste of time quite honestly, I thought that they were just a social exercise. "Calvary" (which is my current cell group) restored my faith in cell groups. I found myself being able to contribute and draw strength from the experiences of my cell group mates who thankfully don't give "model answers" to questions posed to them. If I wanted "model answers" I have the Bible for that.

But I would be a fool to think such an arrangement would last. Things change and we must change with it. But will my new cell group be good for me? Is this a change for the better? My feelings are mixed to be honest. I feel apprehensive most of all, my better judgment is pulling me back. But I think I know better than to trust my better judgment ;) and since I can't see beyond the way things seem to be. We shall see.

The New Job

I know an update about my new job is on the cards, I just wanted some time to pass on my new job in order to form an opinion I can share. Things are pretty much going well in the office. I have helpful colleagues, a good working environment and a healthy pace of working. I am also cycling to work now on a bike I just bought and in case those bike fanatics are wondering... I bought a Cannondale. I figured that it will save me money in the long run, as long as my working place remains in the east area.

That being said, I am really out of my comfort zone here. Although I welcome the relative "desk-boundness" of the job (it is a good change for now), everything is still quite alien to me. I have never worked in a big office context before. Everybody seems to have their own specific roles whereas in my old job, I did everything. So when I have done my part of a job, handing it over to another person makes me feel uneasy, like the job is incomplete. So I guess it is something I have to adjust to and improve my people to people relations because now I need other people's help to get the job done.

And that is just one of the many things I have to get used to, it would take time but God-willing, I will be able to see it through. Really taking it as a learning experience. Oh and by the way, in case anybody is scoffing at me because I welcome a desk-bound job now, let me just say that 2 years of extreme travelling would make anybody want a desk-bound job. I want to give this job time, I believe God has something planned for me here. Maybe in the future I might just want to satisfy my wanderlust again, who knows? :)

Now And Then

Now and then behind the rows
Of pearly teeth and fashion clothes
She sees them in the mirror-tiles
Trying on their latest smiles
Light and warmth from spotlight beams
Convincing them their nightmare is a dream

Now and then when they're at rest
Flocked in sleep in cuckoos' nests
Feeling safe no need to hide
She opens doors and windows wide
And poised upon her painted claws
She stretches out her gaudy wings and soars

Far away
Borne by the wind
She roams the sky
No one to say ... too low ... to high
Or count the lonely miles that she has flown
This world is hers alone

But then again behind the rows
She feels the piercing looks of those
Who watch her every move in case
She happens to forget her place
Who sum her up ... deny her flight
Aim their words and shoot her down on sight

Far away
Borne by the wind
She roams the sky
No one to say ... too low ... too high
Or count the lonely miles that she has flown
This world is hers alone

Silje Nergaard

My Place

I would be lying if I said that recent events in my church have not affected my faith. But I guess it depends on what you based your faith on. Although I am critical of the institution we call the church, I take no pleasure in seeing it crumble. Especially if it crumbles at the very hands of the christians supporting it.

Whatever it is, I place my faith in God that He will not fail me. I know that my place is in the church, the support for my calling is also in the church. Despite my misgivings about the church there is no denying that God is in it, working to improve it and calling me to contribute. My place right now is at RCC.

I will not judge those who decide to leave, some of them are my close friends and they have my full support. The rabbi Gamaliel taught me a very good and simple lesson, that if something is of human origin, it will fail. If it is from God, whatever you do will not stop them. So I will not try to stop them, in fact I wish them all the best. For me, friendships transcend even church loyalties.

I want to keep my faith simple, I do not want whatever church politics and human elements to complicate the matter. In the words of DC-Talk,

" To see Thee more clearly, to love Thee more dearly, to follow Thee more nearly"

That is my desire. If God wants me to move, He himself will tell me. My faith in Him is all that guides me. It has not failed me so far, the results speaks for itself if you have read my previous posts.

But enough of this bullshit, I think we have wasted enough time in this matter. It is time to move on and work towards the fulfillment of God's plan, itsn't that what the church is all about?

Reservist

There is an attitude that my CSM during my NS days always tried to cultivate in us. It is called the "do it once, do it good" attitude. When shit is thrown at you, you can bitch and moan about how you dislike it. But at the end of the day as long as you suck it up and do it well, it will not bother you again or at least for a time and you only have to do it once. Instead of mucking about or trying to avoid it, in which case it will not stop bothering you.

I think this applies for the in-camp training I just had and the ones to follow in the years to come. Going back to the commandos was a reality check for me and most of my mates. My perception of reservist is having IPPT, some light outfield and some refresher training and boy was I wrong. But come to think of it, it is the commandos... how easy do I think it was going to get?

But putting all that into perspective, I have seen the utter professionalism of my company mates and especially my team mates. Although they are doing things that they dislike, they still made the effort to contribute and do it well. Each time I am with them in the field, what I learnt much much more than what I contributed and I really do admire and applaud them for that. Thanks for the memories guys! Until we meet again!

click on the picture for a clearer view

Hope

Just an update on the job front. I found one! And it is rather near my house as well... and it is a five day week job, so now my Saturdays are free. But truth be told, I am actually quite surprised that I got the job because I felt that I did not do very well in the interview and the job scope is quite different from my present job so my experience doesn't really apply to the position they had open.

But they were willing to give me a chance to take on the challenge. That means that I am once again out of my comfort zone. This will hopefully give me opportunities to learn and let God more into my life.

So, barring any surprises I should be starting on it next month after my reservist training. I really have to thank God for this small mercy because I really did not want to idle around unemployed after my reservist training and He has really came through for me by getting me this job. Now I pray that I am up to the challenge.