Results!!

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A Sudden Post

A post out of nowhere will come suddenly when I realise that something big has happened...

Actually, today is the 2nd last day of school for me.... not just in this semester.. or year 4, or NUS, but strictly speaking... my life as a student. It just hit me a few hours ago... after finishing the FYP final presentation (which means that the FYP is 100% over). Before today ended, I was just rushing and rushing and being sian about all the work and waiting for it to end... All of a sudden today its like... will i even see these ppl again (my classmates)? Then.. like "will i even come back to the same rooms, the same buildings, walk along the same corridors?" Or... will there be another time in my life when i'm doing tutorials and projects with fellow classmates? Will i ever walk around the ARTS faculty area seeing USP ppl around everywhere and feeling the totally differing culture from science? Probably not. Its the end of all the freezing lecture rooms and ultra boring lessons (this one is good riddance) which are like 6 hours back to back with no break, starting from 8am, etc.... And the end of eating the canteen food which we are rather sick of... and the end of the relatively low responsibility days where we can just skip lessons at will and still do ok for exams, and not hand up homework if the weigtage is low enough. Where, when the lectures are over, I can go anywhere I want and afford to waste time simply cos the deadlines are not near yet. Sometimes... and mostly its at times like these... when you realise how much life is going to change... and suddenly the memories become nostalgic, even though a day ago you couldnt wait to get out of there.... what a time to reminise about the past 4 years..

Well... today is such a time... actually, I completely empathise with what I felt in the time from year 1 till yesterday.. and I still think the same way (that I don't like school)... but.. being such a sentimental person.. it seems that there are some things that I'll miss after all.... likely to be the freedom and lack of pressure (being more or less only responsible for your own things)... and maybe 1 or 2 slightly more interesting modules, as well as being able to tell ppl how ridiculously difficult physics is and the funny characters I meet...

But I guess, what really struck me was that there are some people whom I may never get to see again, and some people, though I will still get to see them, I may not have the same chances to interact with them in the same way... Its like just this feeling of like: "you mean thats all? thats all its going to be after suffering together for 4 years, its just going to be a simple "see you around" and we'll part ways for good?" It just seemed very unsatisfying and unfulfilling... something seemed to be missing from these relationships... something just seemed wrong or problematic with the idea of having friends and doing stuff together while it was economical or convenient or mutually benefitial, and then to stop contact once that was over. You can say that its not actually breaking of contact, but we all know what happens generally to schoolmates after graduation (except for a few)... Something in me just had this desire for relationships to last indefinitely... like the ending of any relationship is not desirable, even sad.. yet.. I know its inevitable that the nature of all these relationships is going to change.

How can I reconcile these? Is there a way, or something that can be done such that we know it was not all meaningless? I mean.. isnt it rather meaningless to make friends and then lose them a few years later? I believe that it is somewhat.. so besides trying as much as possible to keep in contact... I came to this conclusion that temporary relationships wouldnt be meaningless if there was an eternal component in them. Temporary vs. eternal. If something positive that can last for eternity can come into these relationships, then there would be true meaning - it wouldnt all be for nothing. And I guess.. the only way is to introduce my friends to God. Even if they didnt accept Him as Lord, I would have planted a seed in them that could grow into making an eternal impact. The relationships would be for something - worth something - instead of nothing. And if they came to know Christ the value of the relationship will immediately jump from 0 to an eternal one.. Oh how I desire that for my friends now! To be able to exchange something that is of temporal worth for something that has infinite worth and happiness included - that, I believe, will really make these years count.

Looking back, I am so thankful to God for mercifully putting some friends into my life in the physics cohort and in other modules that I have somewhat been able to talk to about Him occasionally. Its like.... sometimes I am so slack in trying to share the gospel to them, but some ppl actually come to me and ask by themselves! Thankfully, they do notice some differences about my life (some!) and seem interested to know more about Christianity... but I really feel that I havent been doing enough for my friends, probably too focused on my own feelings about school, etc.. Mainly, I regret not getting more involved in the lives of some other physics majors... and taking more chances to tell them about God... so i'll try to grab what chances i have left these few weeks while there's still reason to contact each other... and.. hopefully with God's help, I'll do better the next stage of life... if you can, pray a short prayer now for me and my friends that I can do my best to introduce God to them....

If you're a uni student and you're reading this, I hope what I just said makes sense to you, and that it'll inspire you to do the same for the people who are around you now.. life is short - studies are just a stage of life. 10 or 20 years later, which of the things you do now will really matter? What about 100 years later?? 1000 years later? Will the grades matter? Or whether you get the module you wanted - will it matter anymore? Hope that this little sharing on some of my thoughts today will be helpful or insightful to someone somewhere.... Actually, it applies to everyone and not just uni students... Life is short - make every moment count for eternity... May God help us to keep this in mind daily - whats truly important and significant.....

Ok... anyway... there're still more thoughts and reflections on the past 4 years in general... those will come probably after my exams... meanwhile... its another break for my blog, i guess.. till the next inspiration.... =]

Amazing Grace

Hello.. here's more good music.. originally wanted to post about tidying up my room last monday and tuesday... well.. maybe it'll come....

Pray For IRAQI Christians

Hey everyone, hope you all are willing to pray and give some money.. if you want to give some money, tell me and i'll do it for you, can pay me after that... thanks.. :)

Or, if u have a credit card, you can do it yourself here:

http://members.opendoorsusa.org/site/PageNavigator/GiftCatalog20082009

Last Sunday In 2008

And so ends the last sunday of the year... as well as the last evangelistic event, yesterday, and soon the last week of 2008... time sure flies... and more so when u count the years...

Today was a unique sunday for me.. very unique. For the first time in like 5 years (estimate), i didnt attend sunday service, cos i was at home in case my mother needs any help or looking after... she had bad stomachache but thank God now she's already ok... actually, i had stomachache too, but i think mine was normal lah =)

Then, went to Church, fellowship as usual (hand cramped a few times trying to play the classical guitar for the welcome song, which was almost all bar chords!), then... at night something most unique - JC class reunion!

Such reunions just make people think back to the times they spent together... I can hardly imagine that it was almost 8 years ago when we first met in Jan 2001, ACJC, for orientation and then met as a class... really can recall those days - the days of nonsensical games trying to make guys and girls stick closer, mass dance, then lesson after lesson, day after day... i guess the more memorable times were caused by the super playful classmates pranking each other and the teachers (oh man....) and the fun fair that we did, trying to raise exorbitant amounts of money from cheap stuff and a lot of marketing and peer pressure. (It all went to the school.).. Well... its been like 6 years since i'd seen some of my classmates.. strangely everyone seemed not to have aged much... but i guess the stuff we're doing are really different... one girl is engaged already.. another is a lawyer now (or soon), and another one working for the Nu You magazine (some of u know her).. as for the guys, most are still studying... well, actually only 7 ppl came and the rest are probably overseas... rich ppl lah...

Sometimes it seems like not long ago when we were still in class, dozing off and laughing at lame jokes... i feel like i'm not that old yet.. but seriously.. its been almost a decade since the beginning of JC. Just another indication of something important - we all dont have much time left in this world... when 6 years can pass like that... army + many long holidays and university life... it can be concluded that drifting through life year after year without any purpose or any knowledge of where one is going is very possible and very likely to happen to those caught unaware.. we can pursue many objectives in life but at the end... what do they all count for?

Yup.. those are my thoughts for the reunion... as for 2008, really thank God for many things (already listed in prayer req, but here they are again):

1. for His grace in each one of our lives, especially in 2008 - many ups and downs but His purpose prevails through it all
2. for another year of our lives over - 1 year closer to Heaven, but also 1 year less to do His work
3. for the Church and CYYAM and all those who care for us - its a joy to be loved and to love
4. for His faithfulness throughout the years and His love for us sinners
5. for the events in Dec - really good although tiring, and for the YA and YF work that He has blessed
6. for the chance to serve Him and to experience life at the fullest, together..

And some prayer:

1. for each of us to refocus back on God before the new year begins - equip ourselves (in His Word) to do His work
2. for follow up work to be done especially for the recent events - that we will do our best for each and every seeker to feel God's love
3. for 2009 - that CYYAM will be able to continue to grow in depth and width and continue to put our all to advance His Kingdom
4. for each of us individually to experience the victory in life from giving our all, 100%, to God
5. for closer walk with God everyday for everyone in CYYAM and our Church in 2009
6. for revival to come in 2009 - that seems to have already begun...!!

Yup... guess 2008 was a memorable year and many things happened... really happy to see the YA and YF growing and be part of it... its truly a joy... and its my hope that in 2009, we'll all continue to grow closer to God, desire Him and His Word more, and as a result, be greatly used by God to advance His Kingdom, wherever we are....




On a side note, I just saw an article that gave a new perspective on President Bush:

http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB123025595706634689.html

To summarise, the author actually is a friend and aide of the president. In the past 3 years, they have challenged each other to see who can finish more books and each year, and although the president lost, he has read 95, 51, and 40 books for 2006, 2007, and 2008. Amazing. And just look at the books he reads.. Not story books or those easy reads.. History, biographies, and current affairs make up the main portion of his list. And, most importantly to me, he read the Bible once through each year as well. This is definitely only possible through great self discipline.. as President of the US, i'm sure he is as busy as we can be.. and yet he can find time to read through the Bible once? thats like 5 chapters per day.... all of you who have tried before know what its like... and on top of that, about 1 book per week, non-fiction?

I guess this shows that it is possible to make better use of our time... We dun need to read so many books but at least the Bible for a start...? I'll try to do this in 2009 and finish the whole Bible... another self-discipline related issue to work on... :) remind me ok...?

O Holy Night

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.

Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!

O night divine, the night when Christ was born;

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

.

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,

Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.

The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;

In all our trials born to be our friends.

He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,

Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

.

Truly He taught us to love one another,

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.

And in his name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

With all our hearts we praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,

His power and glory ever more proclaim!

His power and glory ever more proclaim!

O Little Town Of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may his His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

O Come O Come Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times did'st give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

When we think of the world if Christ did not come, we realise just how significant and how glorious His birth here is. And how thankful we should be.. For He has brought us from utter darkness.. into the light...

My Results!

Hello everyone.. got my results today... thank God.. not too bad though its not good enough to get me a 2nd Upper Honours... but thats ok...

Principles of Economics
A-

Science of Music
A+

Quantum Mechanics 3
B-

Surface Physics
B+

This's sem's average point: 4.125 (these 4 modules)
CAP: 3.78 (Over 7 Semesters)

Abraham Laboriel

Hello.. this post is about a bassist. A guy who plays bass. He's good!! and he's Christian... In fact he's so good that he has played on more than 4000 recordings and performances! One of the most sought after studio musicians in the US.. This intro video to him shows him playing a very simple but very groovy interpretation of "He Is Exalted"... I like....