Archive for June, 2006
Lewis Cheong just called and invited me to his cell group on Friday evening for steamboat and thereafter to watch Germany beat Argentina. Isn’t it a wonderful brew: food and friends and football? All on the same night. Looking forward to it.
Meanwhile my sermon on 1Thessalonians 1 is still stewing with most of the the ingredients in the pot but needing a long simmering soak in the crockpot. Need to get the meat real tender because it is a combined service with the youths around.
June 29th, 2006
I was with my son at a 24 hour coffeeshop near our home breathing in second-hand smoke and watching Brazil and Ghana play the beautiful game for one half before the 2 goals lead and smoke got to us and we called it quits. I was encouraged by Brazil’s beautiful play. It is a beautiful game but those who play beautiful don’t get to be champions. That’s why I am happy to watch Brazil play so beautifully. It takes the ugly to raise the cup! So its ENGLAND! ENGLAND! ENGLAND! Whooooooo……..
England beats Germany in the Finals.
This is my final answer!
June 28th, 2006
Have you ever thought of migrating to another country? I have.
I was in Sydney at its lovely harbour seated on a bench with hot coffee in my hands and beautiful blue skies and lovely weather, the quiet hum of distant traffic occasionally punctuated by seagulls screaming like little children at scraps of food tossed to them. In the distance to my right was the Opera House and in front were boats and ships ploughing through the calm waters. This idyllic scene inspired thoughts of living in this land of plenty to breeze through my mind. “How nice to be able to live in this country”. Hmmmm. A huge ferry boat let out its passengers and an old Caucasian lady passed by, turned to me, and said pointedly, “Why don’t you go back to Vietnam?!”
And there and then my dream evaporated in the cruel Australian sunshine.
LOL.
I wonder, guys, have you ever thought of migrating to another country? Which country? For what reasons? Or if you could migrate anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
Dont worry, I wont brand you “Quitters”.
June 26th, 2006
“I hope I can live up to what is the true meaning of being a god fearing father in this God given life. Well, this blog, which I vowed to write more diligently…is essentially for my children to know their Dad, and so that one day, when I am no more…they can still know what I felt…and thought at any given time and occasion in my life with them.” I read this in the 19 June entry of http://www.myadlife.blogspot.com . It took me by surprise as I never saw blogs as a way of leaving a kind of depository of my “soul” so my children and even grand- and great-grand children can get to know me better- my opinions, feelings, truth. I never knew my paternal and maternal grandfathers and forefathers and that is quite a loss. But as I blog, and archive, just imagine, if Jesus tarries, my descendants can know me better. Well at least one facet of Johari’s window. Awesome thought.
Some register with xanga so they can participate and comment in other’s blog, but do not themselves blog. I thought Sunny was doing that. Then he started writing…………….So welcome this lovely man utd die-hard at http://www.xanga.com/SUMANITED Going in two hours to be with him at Cedric Yeo’s to watch England beat Ecuador.
June 25th, 2006
Yes, I have been thinking, discussing, and planning about migration. Its just another personal frontier I have to cross, another kinabalu I have to climb. It will mean challenging the status quo and the comfort zone. I feel some apprehension but mostly excitement. I would compare it to being seated and waiting for the cork-screw roller coaster ride to begin, my hands gripping my spectacles.Vee has almost finished the design and development and soon I’ll move to the new address. Trust you guys will still visit me and join me on the ride.Wheeee!
June 24th, 2006
| I think it is important even for us Pentecostals to understand what is going on in the Anglican communion and the church world-wide. It gives us a global perspective and an appreciation of the church world -wide and the pain in the heart of God. Here are some excerpts I lifted from a website. Read them……as fuel for prayer. |
The anguish of orthodox Anglicans and evangelical Episcopalians intensified Sunday as the ECUSA elected the Right Reverend Katharine Schori, Bishop of Nevada, as the denomination’s first woman to serve as Presiding Bishop. The move is being hailed as a victory for the liberal wing of the church, and it comes even as the church is embroiled in yet another controversy over its election of an openly-homosexual bishop in 2003.
As Stephen Bates, religion correspondent for The Guardian [London] reports:
The US Episcopal church stunned Christians across the world last night by unexpectedly electing the first woman primate in the Anglican church. The Rt Rev Katharine Jefferts Schori, 52, Bishop of Nevada - one of the smallest dioceses in the US - for only five years and ordained for only a decade, may well be the highest placed woman priest in church history.
The truly shocking portion of Bates’ report is found here:
But her election as the US Episcopal church’s leader creates a new headache for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the nominal head of the 77 million-strong Anglican communion, on top of the church’s turmoil over gay people. Many Anglican provinces across the world do not accept women’s ordination or acknowledge that they can become priests. In both the US church 30 years ago and the Church of England more recently, theological conservatives have fought lengthy actions against the principle.
A statement from Lambeth Palace last night expressed no congratulations, stating that the Archbishop of Canterbury would be sending a letter to the new primate this morning. It added: “There will be nothing released this evening.”
The Anglican Communion was already moving headlong toward schism over the issue of homosexuality. The election of a woman as Presiding Bishop poses a direct challenge to those who want to see the communion break with the ECUSA over its liberalism.
Ruth Gledhill, reporter for The Times [London], got to the heart of the issue:
Yesterday the Bishop of Rochester urged the Archbishop of Canterbury to take firm action against the liberal leadership of the Episcopal Church. Matters were so serious that “fudge won’t do”, Bishop Nazir-Ali said. “Sometimes you have to recognise that there are two irreconcilable positions and you have to choose between them. The right choice is the line with the Bible and the Church’s teachings down the ages, not some new-fangled religion we have invented to respond to the 21st century,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
And from The Telegraph:
The Church has been given until the end of the convention on Wednesday to toe the conservative line on homosexuality or face expulsion.
It has been asked to express regret for defying the official policy of the 75-million strong Communion by consecrating Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in 2003. It has also been asked to impose a moratorium on public blessings of same-sex “marriages”.
But Bishop Nazir-Ali said that, whatever the outcome, the Americans had already become detached from the roots of Anglicanism.
“Nobody wants a split, but if you think you have virtually two religions in a single Church something has got to give sometime,” he said.
He suggested the point of no return had been passed, and effectively challenged Dr. Williams to recognise the fact.
Bishop Schori is identified with the liberal wing of the ECUSA and voted for the approval of Gene Robinson’s election as the openly-homosexual Bishop of New Hampshire.
Any comments or prayers?
June 22nd, 2006
Stephen Hawking has worked on the basic laws which govern the universe. With Roger Penrose he showed that Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes. He propounded that black holes should not be completely black, but should emit radiation and eventually evaporate and disappear. Another conjecture is that the universe has no edge or boundary in imaginary time. This would imply that the way the universe began was completely determined by the laws of science. Stephen Hawking has two popular books published; his best seller A Brief History of Time, and his later book, Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays.
Professor Hawking has twelve honorary degrees, was awarded the CBE in 1982, and was made a Companion of Honour in 1989. He is the recipient of many awards, medals and prizes and is a Fellow of The Royal Society and a Member of the US National Academy of Sciences.
Stephen Hawking continues to combine family life (he has three children and one grandchild), and his research into theoretical physics together with an extensive programme of travel and public lectures.
The interesting thing is what this brilliant man had to say about women:
“The universe isn’t that profound.
Women are harder to knowâ€.
June 22nd, 2006
Holiday Inn has a beautifully maintained tennis court. During the camp, I played a game with Zeph, Thomas, David, Joseph and my daughter Elaine. I observed interestingly that Zeph had good strokes and nifty footwork and could play well for a twelve year old. He’s had some coaching in mini-tennis in school. I think with coaching and practice this guy can play for his secondary school in future and beat this uncle hollow in four years.
June 21st, 2006
In one of the church camp sessions Abel Thomas asked, When you see an apple what do you see? Some see 5-6 seeds. Some see a tree full of apples. Some see an apple orchard. Few see an industry.!!! He was talking about faith and vision.
Applying the message to myself, I think I only see a few trees with apples to feed myself and my people. Obviously at the altar call, I was in front, sitting before the Lord. And thoughts came to me with clarity: just as I develop my gift of teaching, I need to develop faith. Every year I read at least one book on preaching and incorporate new ideas I read about, always eager to develop. The Lord said, Do the same thing for faith. So I am going to be more intentional in strengthening my faith.
If I could incorporate into my life just this one thing, it would maximize the impact Abel’s message had on me. All things possible.
By the way Stephen Tay our missionary to Turkey of twelve years has started a new blog and solemnly promised to update regularly. As you know it’s tough out there and they need our prayers and encouragement. So do visit his blog regularly at http://xanga.com/singaporesunshine
June 20th, 2006
Have yet to stay up to watch a match - mainly just watching news clips of goals. Waiting for the really interesting games in the semis and final and games between major contenders, like Argentina vs Germany or England vs Brazil. As I get older I find staying up drains me and it takes a lot to regain my equilibrium. Unlike in the last competition, there are less upsets, as I thought, because of the FIFA mandated one month rest all the seeded teams play to rank.
Angelic sightings and gold dust are definitely more interesting, like the June 9 post of http://www.xanga.com/looxie
June 18th, 2006
Previous Posts
