Archive for March, 2006
Recently, I sort of enjoyed just being quiet and resting in God’s presence in the oudoors, sometimes with a cup of pu erh in hand to sip, and when it is in the day, with my journal to jot my thoughts or write my prayers.
Just sitting there, aware of his presence and company is like having a drink with a friend you like or someone you love. It is peaceful, relaxed and intimate and you feel you can be yourself, be fully loved and accepted, not having to try to be good company.
At times you are troubled and your thoughts are tangled up in worry and in his presence you are just thinking and thinking and thinking and you forget about him - but he understands. Its like while with a friend someone calls on the mobile and you are trying to solve a work problem while your friend sits there and tries to be polite and okay about it. But I think the Lord is much more compassionate and actually actively aids us and joins us in the worrying, thinking and seeks to weave into our thought and feeling processes his hope and wisdom and peace.
This kind of prayer helps me to continue serving at http://www.wrpf.sg
By the way Anthony of Sec 1 youth ministry, son of Anita,  has melted…erh…. moved from xanga.com /superyellowjelly to http://superyellowjell.iblog.com (Haiz, xanga should change its “exclusive” policy lah.)  Anyway he is still in blogville and his skin looks great and worth a check. His banner will look good on our wrpf website i think.(Thou shall not covet thy neighbours blog!)
March 27th, 2006
Poultry
Scrawny daughters of dinosaurs
Your lovers never shut up—
Preening in streets lined with black feathersAs if every hour is the start of a new day,
And the sun won’t ascend without them.Beneath your bamboo domes
Your soft throats huddle with their
Destiny of edge and demise.You’re in hot water,
Losing every frantic thread
That failed your sad quests for flight.
Your legs stiffen without eulogies,
And your wings can’t pray their petitions
To the god of the Archaeopteryx for delivery.
Upon my return to St. Paul, immigration asks
If I’ve been in contact with livestock.I want to say: “Are you kidding?
Have you ever even been to my homeland?,”Looking out at the rising sun my breakfast
By Bryan Thao Worra
This is one of my favourite poems. When I read it I cant help but think how as a people we are a brood of fat chicken beneath a mammoth dome of fear. We are politically apathetic and pathetic because we have soft throats and can feel the millimetre-near cold of steel blades and steam of hot boiling water awaiting the brave soul that dares to squawk. A few have dared try that sad quest for flight but have had their wings clipped and flights grounded, and their legs stiffened without eulogies nor funerary bangs.
Mr Low and Mr Chiam: This is the year they need special help from above, especially Mr Chiam.
Merdeka.
Meanwhile pastor kenny continues to get free English tuition from the poets at http://www.qlrs.com while he feeds the church at http://www.wrpf.sg
March 23rd, 2006
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, according to Dr Daniel Goleman, who coined this term, includes:
Self-awareness
Being able to handle your feelings well
To work with integrity
To be conscientious
To stay motivated
To work towards your goals even when things go wrong
To have empathy
To know what the other person is feeling.
Dr Goleman research shows that successful people in most fields have a high EQ. Furthermore he believes many children today suffer from a lack of EQ. EQ is learnt best by observing and imitating models. It is better caught than taught. Children learn by interacting and living with parents with EQ. (And I supposethis can be supplemented by watching admirable heroes in action on the TV screen .)
What am I driving at? I am explaining to you why as a pastor I am recommending strongly a hit Korean TV serial: “The Jewel in the Palace”. ha ha. Get it? Jang Geum the palace girl who later became the first female royal physician has it all. The heroine possesses all the qualities highlighted above.
Really?
Yea.
March 20th, 2006
Last night I cleared the cobwebs from the old sermons and mesages I preached over several years.
Some sermons were still good and represented research, and were effective in its time. These I kept.
Many others, I felt like: “How did I preach this?” or “What a poor outline” or “How did I come up with this man?” These I threw. I threw like 90% of what I went through. I guess we outgrow our sermons like we outgrow other things.
I put on the church website a message outline on Mahi Kari, a Japanese cult next door to us. I preached that in 1995 when we first moved into our present premises. Aiyah, why waste the research, put it in the web before I throw away the sermon. Which was what I did a fortnight ago. Ha ha.
Found a nice pithy sentence in one of my messages on legalism (which I also threw):
“Legalism has no pity on people.
Legalism makes my opinion your burden;
makes my opinion your boundary,
makes my opinion your obligation”
Max Lucado
So for example if I believe that being a vegetarian helps my faith and requires everyone else to do likewise in order to be accepted or saved…this is legalism. If I pray an hour a day using a certain method and make it a law for everyone else to do the same, so as to be accepted, it is legalism. Other examples: when to worship, wearing make-up, teetoler, etc. The same goes for any amoral matters or those which the Bible does not expicitly forbid or require.
If however I expect or encourage others to love God with all their hearts, it is not legalism , it is teaching God’s commandments and there is greatness in that.
Meanwhile I continue preparing sermons and delivering them at http://www.wrpf.sg knowing that after some years they’ll be in the scrap heap.
March 16th, 2006
First it was my wife and I telling Elaine, “Don’t get addicted to it.”
Next, it was me telling Elaine and my wife, “How come you both stuck to it.”
Finally it was Matthew saying, “You are all addicted!”
I am talking about “The Jewel in the Palace” a hit Korean TV serial set in ancient north Korea.
Good family stuff and values.
Good for “spiritual reading.”
If you don’t have the time, just watch a few at the beginning, the middle and the ending.
March 10th, 2006
The Lord must have read my blog regarding my stalled exercise regimen and took pity on me.
Yesterday by His grace, I dragged my numb reluctant legs up the Bukit Timah hill.
Thanks to Jasmine Yeo who organized a hill climb at the crippling hour of 2pm after the church service.
I needed a jumpstart, so this ill-timed suicidal recreation was a must-do.
Good company helped: Stephen Tay, Jasmine, Joseph & son Gerald, Eugene, Deborah Loh & friend’s daughter, Peter & Eunice & lovely daughters, and of course my wife.
When we reached the top it started to drizzle and I just loved it….
Walking in the rain with the one I love…seems so fine, yeah….remember that romantic song of the 80’s?
Only this time it wasn’t my wife beside me, she was way ahead!
It was Stephen walking beside me.
Sigh…..
Down below, I learnt the the Lims are planning to climb weekly and it seemed like I needed this to help me get some consistency so I said I’d like to join them.
But now as I sit here in the comfort of home and think of balmy Sunday afternoons…
Sigh…….
Meanwhile Pastor Kenny happily climbs the hill at http://www.wrpf.sg
March 6th, 2006
I am glad that PM Lee says the help the government is giving to the poor is not an election sweetener. This means the poor will get long-term help as the economy restructures. I am happy if this is so.
Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.
My exercise regimen is in the rut. 
Started memorizing Matthew 5-7 in February but got stuck for two weeks at Matt 5.12. Must get up and move on.
Lord, help!
Only preaching and teaching is in top gear! Find a job you are passionate about and you don’t have to work another day. It is so true!
Lord, thanks for the privelege!
….the privelege of serving at http://www.wrpf.sg
March 2nd, 2006
