Wednesday, September 27, 2006
{Can we be good without God?}
An article that struck me, and made me think deeply....
"Once one of my students asked if he could talk about God with me. I said okay. He told me he didn’t see why he couldn’t be good without God. I asked him why he didn’t. He said, “Because I think I’m a decent person.” I replied, “If you think your decency is high enough for God, your idea of God must be pretty low.” At first he was shocked. But then I asked him whether he thought he could go a week without selfishness, without resentment, without lust. I asked whether he thought he could go a day, an hour, ten minutes. He got the point, because he knew he couldn’t. By myself, neither can I.
You see, trying to do without God has ruined us inwardly. Yes, by His mercy, there are still some good things in us, but not one of those good things is in its original healthy state. Not only are we broken, but we can’t repair ourselves. Could you perform surgery on your own eyes, or treat yourself for madness? Suppose you tore off both arms; without your hands, could you sew them back on? Our sin- sickness is something like that. We may long to love purely, but our desires have become idols that control us. We may long to be holy, but our righteousness has become self-righteousness that rules us. We may long to be reconciled with God, but we can’t stop wanting to be the center of the universe ourselves.
Because the law of right and wrong is written on the heart of all, many philosophies and religions teach about right and wrong with pretty fair accuracy. What they can’t do is heal the sin-sickness. However true, no mere doctrine can do that. Our cancer requires more than a doctrine. What it requires is the divine surgeon, God Himself, and the name of His surgery is Jesus Christ."
Prof Theo @ www.boundless.org
8:47 PM;
Sunday, September 24, 2006
{春}
Saw the first signs of spring early this week. It was a tree tucked away in a corner of the Great Court. It was barren just a day ago. There it was, with all its dry, pale branches, casting a gloomy shadow in the field. All other trees had greenery, not the lush, crisp green, nevertheless, green despite the winter. All but this tree.
And just a day later, it was no more. The barreness had been overcome by purple blooms. It had become a lively, lavender bush, its flowers dancing in the breeze. And it was the only tree that heralded spring.
This tree, the barren one, was now more alive than all others.
“谁说，沉睡已久的花蕾，不能绽放一级缤纷？
谁说寒冬之后的大地，不能展现一片青翠？
谁说曾经受伤的翅膀，不能再度自由地飞？
我要抬起头，张开双背，拥抱神所赐的世界。
I want to be free, 自由地飞
在爱中无惧怕，在爱中无伤悲。
I want to be free, 不再流泪
Because I believe that heaven is here
我有天堂在我的心。”
This is the power of life I think. Every season comes and goes; flowers fade and wither, but new ones always burst into new blooms, and a new life begins. He who gives life is indeed great.
11:22 AM;
Monday, September 18, 2006
{20 yrs~~}
Thought I'll wait till all my prezzies arrived before chronicling the happenings. Apparently some never did (though i still hope the postman hasn't lost them), well,still, its the thought that counts =)
So how does it feel to have a birthday away from home?? Well, there is this 每逢佳节倍思亲 sort of feeling. I just tried to recall wad I have done on this day for the past 19 years -- and realised halfway that I was sitting alone in my room and stoning. It was last saturday, a lazy saturday afternoon (basically everyday is a "lazy day" in down under), and I had just left peixuan's apartment to come home for Derek. Was quite depressing initially, I mean, I dun really have kakis to go out wif, or cut a cake wif....
Or so I thought. I went out of the house, quite prepared for a quiet, "romantic" ("romantic" becoz I thought peixuan and yvonne are the only ones who know my bdae) dinner at south bank (at home or away from home -- a girl's gotta have at least a bdae treat!!) . Reached south bank, and decided to take a look around at the eateries. This place is really quite a nice place. It's like a fusion btw holland v and east coast and esplanade (minus the crowd....brisbane only has a population of 1 million as compared to sg's 4 million!!), so I had quite a nice time wandering around. Bought a tabiold mag and was poring over steve irwin's family pics when...
"We've been standing very long already hor."
I looked up, and saw a group of girls. Wad a surprise!! Looks like I won't need to contend myself with a quiet nite afterall! It seems that xuan, with all er "号召力" and "魅力" had gotten afew other girls from our lecture classes out for the nite. All speak singlish one, which was great!! We went to a fantastic italian place (Amici's), wif a waitress that looks suspiciously like one of our lecturers...and she was funny too! She served us and even tried to imitate our accent...haha. And I suspect the water was spiked, coz ppl like xuan got so high (i think she "自high"), and the table started making noise and silly jokes. We were quite a disturbance to the neigbouring tables -- but this is a chinese thing!! Ang mohs celebrate stuff by keeping their poise and drinking wine but chinese go "yam seng yam seng" (lucky we stopped short of really doin that, though cheryn was really excited abt it) even b4 we go high on the spirits.
So the pasta and pizza came, and we stuffed ourselves mad with the australian-sized servings. Den the cake. By den we're all dumping food on each other's plates as we were really full. Bt the cake was really good, sinful, rich, heavy stuff -- chocolate mud cake. And so the stuffing continues. (The remainder went home for derek). Will worry about detox the nxt day.
Walked back to city still feeling high. Caught the bus home, and yea, my housemates did actually know it was my birthday ( the chinese community isnt too big so news spread fast). Spent the rest of the night wif Dan, the big kaypoh, and Val, eating leftover mud cake (again!) and gossipping about some common people we happen to know. Bad bad me....commited 2 sins (sinful cake and gossip) on my very 1st day as a 20 yr old.haha...
Still, it was a memorable night to remember. Hmm, i guess this is wad life is in an unknown place. You do meet wif unsatisfied expectations, abit of down and bumming around sometimes, but for every bit of loneliness, there is dis new person out dere to be a friend, and for every bit of disappointment, dere is this amazing surprise too.
Oh, and thanks to you guys back in sg! I've received the prezzies le! Really really touched and surprised...my housemates are getting jealous seeing all the mail that comes, hahaha!
Yea, and most importantly, I must really learn to grow up now, be a better person, be a grown-up. I guess this is the essence over all celebrations.....
12:42 AM;
Thursday, September 07, 2006
{Dun wanna grow up -- Its been 2 months}
Hey mates. Its been 2 months. Left home on 7th july. Am trying to make a new home here on the 7th September.
Have been really busy too...this week was a slew of assignment deadlines, wrting and writing of essays, reports...*Yawn* ...Called home yest and in fact was so tired I nearly fell asleep while chatting wif mother.
Suspect Im getting old. I don't have the energy to chase after kids now as I had a month ago. My concerns are quite valid too, concerning the fact that Im turning 20 in a couple days time?? Hmm, soon to embark on the twenty-somethings-- not really thrilled though. Sometimes I wish I just dun hav to grow up.
2:48 PM;
Sunday, September 03, 2006
{RiverFest 2006}
RiverFest 2006 -- A time when the aussies gather and pay tribute to the "life-giving river"
Went to the RiverFest last nite. Highlight of the night was 45mins of fireworks (45 mins!! Makes NDP fireworks seem like peanuts, or shld i say, "candlelights" as compared to the fireworks here) and fighter jets stuns.
First up was the fighter jets. These jets are beautiful things, they are red and white, very polished and they deliver the most fluid motion. 6 jets soared down in synchrony from the western skies before pulling up, leaving white smoke trails behind. Next were spirals and turns and new formations. It was truly amazing!! All in synchrony too!! There were also some special jets which had fire at their tails instead of the normal white smoke. That is wad gave the "RiverFire" its name i think. The "fire jets" just flew up, paused in the sky for everyone to hold their breath, and "5,4,3,2,1..." soared across with the fire burning. Fantastic Stuff!! And the radio stations broadcast accompanying music too!! (NDP can take a clue form this!)
After the planes, were the fireworks festivities. We got fish & chips, spread it out on the ground and began munching under the stars. The fireworks were splendid!! It was surprises after surprises!! The entire sky was illuminated as sparks shoot out from the river into the sky. And there were variations -- all colours and patterns and shapes! My favourite was one that shoots up in a golden trail and burst into purple and golden sparks in the sky. It looked so royal, so majestic.
haha, it was indeed a cool nite out. Can't wait 4 it again!
11:03 AM;