Cherchez La Vérité: February 2006

Sunday, February 26

Happy amphibians.

How Do You Love Me?

A married couple was on the brink of divorce. The wife claimed that she didn't know whether her husband loved her anymore.

The man decided to relate his side of the story to his pastor:

"It's not like I don't love her. I really do."

"Really? How do you show her that you love her then?"

"Well, I guess it's in the simple things that I do. For example, you know the part of the fish that's in between the eyes and the fins? The cheeks? I love to eat that part! Everytime we have fish, I forego eating that part and give it to her."

"Does your wife like to eat fish?"

"No."

Rev John Ting was relating this story to us yesterday, about one of his students in Bible college. I thought it was quite humourous and yet so true of what's happening in our world today.

So often, we show our love to others on OUR TERMS, instead of the terms of our loved ones. Such miscommunication is probably the reason for many breakups that we see around us.

The point he was driving at though, was more on the relationship we have with God, and how we should worship Him. There're 3 types of songs that we sing in church:

1) God to man: Songs that proclaim God's commandments to man
2) Man to God: Songs that reflect our desire to follow Him
3) Man to man: Songs that serve to encourage our fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ

In the same way how the man should be professing his love to his wife on HER TERMS, so we should worship God on HIS TERMS, rather than ours. This means we shouldn't just think, "Oh, this song's pretty nifty", and then we go about singing it, with no real feeling for the words, and then go away thinking that we were truly worshiping God. True Worship must be sincere and from the heart.

No talk is better than half-heartedness and empty words.

Saturday, February 25

Hurry home soon...

Thursday, February 23

New York. New York.

We're going to New York on the 21st of April before hitting Sandusky,Ohio. I should be more excited but, awww man...I'll miss you.

Wednesday, February 22

Exfoliate

I look like a burn victim, with my face peeling and all.

Thankful I could even complete the NUS Biathlon on Sunday, considering it was my first time swimming for 2 months. No time to train sadly. Waikiki was a blast. Beach volleyball with the Gan-inators (hurh hurh), and beach soccer with the "Kik Es" team from SMUBE! Damn funny la you guys. It was sizzling hot though. The next day in school, you could clearly tell who went for Waikiki. Half of SMU looked like overcooked crabs. Ha!

SMUCF Membership class in the afternoon. Wai said something that made me feel guilty, that we shouldn't separate Church from SMUCF, cos' SMU is where God has put me. It's just such a fine balance, managing church, ministry, and all the other commitments I have.

It's a good thing I only started peeling this morning. Can't imagine if I started peeling while hosting the TUSH bash with Grace last night. Both of us were really tired after a long day in school, and we went home right after hosting the bash. Didn't stay for the party. At least we got free drinks.

Grace and I were talking before the bash, and just saying how we're more like late night supper people, rather than late nite chiongsters. To me, clubbing feels like quite an empty activity, that and I'm quite lazy when it comes to dressing up (hurh hurh). For those that go to drown their sorrows, while the alcohol and loud music numbs you from reality, I think you'll probably wake up the next morning feeling worse when you originally started. And much poorer, for the guys at least.

Anyway, been finding myself judging people of late, making impressions of them and feeling guilty after. It's quite apt that I had to do Matthew 7 for devotion today:

Matt 7:1-5-
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Thank You for the reminder.

The dive in vain.

Tuesday, February 21

Waikiki. Pre-sunburn group photo.

Monday, February 20

Margaret Chan is damn funky.

Thursday, February 16

Oops

Patron's Day is over and done with. A good experience I must say, even if it did give unecessary stress and was rather last minute. Not everyday you get to host a function with the President as the Guest of Honour.

NUS Biathlon on Sunday. I think I should bring a paddle board. I haven't been to the pool in 2 months! Waikiki after, playing beach volleyball with Bobbs, Jason, You'an and Serene. Hope I'm not too shack. I wonder what I get out of joining all these events sometimes.

Well if it's any consolation, the mid term "break" is almost here. MA quiz this Friday. Go go go!

Wednesday, February 15

Patron's Day 2006~!

Monday, February 13

The UnXpected in action. She's one spunky singer.

The infamous bull. Prof Thermin rode it. Funny guy.

Patron's Day pics. Me,Pat, Jason and Bobbs. Free beer. Free rides. Good friends. Good music.

Reverse Trampoline Bungee! For Free!

The Winning SMU BE Mardi Gras Float!

Got Milk?

Coach:
One Two Three Four!
One Two Three Four!
What should we drink everyday?

Kids:
We drink milk and we say yay!

Coach:
Everytime I sing this song...

Kids:
We know milk will MAKE US STRONG!

HAHAHAHA... They crack me up...these script writers...

Saturday, February 11

Race Day!

Margaret Chan is really cool! Emceeing for the ceremonial portion of Patron's Day on Monday, and she was giving Yumi and I tips on our diction and some of the things that emcees should look out for. She's really down to earth and super funny. At the end of this I just HAVE to ask her to say "I'll CRUSH YOU LIKE A COCKROACH" for me. Classic Masters of the Sea. Heh heh heh.

It's quite unsettling this Patron's Day thing. The President is coming on Monday and we're only practicing a full run through of the programme on Sunday. Everyone's busy with mid-terms I guess. Back in OCS, we had to practice 1 month of drills and parades for the President's Commissioning Parade! What the!

Taking part in the Total Defence Explorally later. Racing around Singapore in a car, with Brandon, Daniel, Ah Loong and Danny, to 5 different venues to complete tasks related to Total Defence. The only thing we know is the start point and what time to meet. Other than that, we have no idea what tasks we have to do, and where we'll be going next. First team to finish gets a cool $10000. I'm crossing my fingers, but we're just going out there to have some fun la. OK so we want the money, haha.

Big money! Big money!

Sunday, February 5

Parents are advised to keep their children under control, while on the London Underground. =)

Friday, February 3

So cool la.

Moo.

May be doing a few more primary school roadshows for HL Milk. Encouraging the kids to...drink milk I guess? Calcium is good for growing bodies you know!

I'm not sure what I'll be doing, just don't ask me to dress up as a milkmaid. Or get into a cow suit. Actually the cow suit may be interesting. Try different roles they say. Hmm.

Thursday, February 2

'ello love!

Wednesday, February 1

Post CNY

The POSB Roadshows today went great! I think I really can improve when it comes to acting in front of kids though. You really need to exaggerate EVERY action that you do, to get a reaction out of the children. It was a bit intimidating at first, cos' Merve and Gen had theatre experience, or experience working with kids. Merve works with Kids Central, and Gen does D&Ds and children's parties on the side, while I uh...have done MCing at OCS Commissioning Parades?! The kids were very easily amused. When Merve went "I'm going to tell you a story about a boy named...Ah Boy", all of them broke out in laughter! Weird sense of humour these kids. It was quite an eye opener for me, seeing how Merve worked the crowd. He's a real natural!

It's a real blessing that I got the opportunity to do these shows, cos' I REALLY need the money to travel within the next few months. The pay's quite decent. They pay by each show you do, and it sure beats slogging your ass off the whole day at a rate of 7 bucks an hour. But I was thinking, for me to earn enough for a plane ticket to York, I would still have to do about 40 shows! !@#$! Well. I guess there's no such thing as easy money. Tuition's out of the question seeing as how I'll be out of the country for a whopping 4 months during the mid year.

Been watching lots of videos and DVDs over the CNY holiday. Reservior Dogs is FANTASTIC. Another Quentin Tarantino classic (Yeah I know it's been out for at least a decade, I'm slow, sue me.). Family Dog is hillarious, and Bleach is...going into a 30+ episode filler. Nooooo!!!

Alright Gabe, back to work. BACK TO WORK. NOW.