Saturday, August 28, 2004
Brisbane RiverFest - River of Fire!!
Hey everyone.. thought I'd come by and drop a note.. considering I haven't blogged since ages ago.. well just in case everyone is wondering where I am and what i've been doing.. the only word that can say it all is ...
ASSIGNMENTS!!! yep, i've been up to my neck in project work... been working up till 5am for about 2,3 nights straight and before that was working till at least 3am... thank God that I managed to take a break yesterday and sleep in today.. hehehe.. slept for almost 12hours last night.. =P anyways its 2 down, 2 more to go for the coming week!!
But back to the present!! I just came back from the Brisbane Riverfest, the Suncorp River of Fire today.. it was so cool man!!! The riverfest is a week-long event that happens at the turn of winter to spring... an annual festival that involves almost the whole of Brisbane city... there were close to 500,000 people at Southbank today!!! and just to watch an awesome 1/2 fireworks spectacular!!! It was so cool and the atmosphere electrifying.. there was a stunt airshow with a stunt place as well as the Navy's Seahawk helicopter... and the fireworks display started and ended with the F11 fly-past, the finale with afterburners activated too!!! and they were flying lower than the buildings!!! the fireworks were all over the place, activating from barges just a few hundred metres away from us, from the CityCat ferries, from the top of the buildings in the city, from the Story and Victoria Bridges across the river... really was awesome... will post up the pictures and try to link videos if possible.. =) i'll figure something out.. hehehe..
okay then... till i'm done with the pictures, or until i'm sorta more relaxed with my assignments.. (i've got one on monday!!) have an awesome God-struck weekend!! =)
~~derek~~ at 8/28/2004 07:44:00 pm
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I will subside
Yipee..it's the weekend again! I was physically down during the past few days but none the less God sustain me through the week. thks for all the showers of concerns. Esp during these moment tt i wanted more TLC...=)
i went to The Third Place immediately after work so that Ivin & I could get good seats. Saw Minghui & his group of friends standing behind as they were late. It was so crowded namely bec it was Parousia EP launch n 3 other bands performing... Bought their EP aft much persuasion by 'Crapper', he helped me get it autographed too. oh wll Before we left, I overheard a group of young girls getting so excited and overwhelmed because they got to shake Jeff's hand after he autographed. Haha. Xiao mei mei... (little girls)
*yawn*... it's Time for bed.
Got to run through the songs of our musical with my CG later this evening. Church anniversary coming soon! That means more preparation, more work... Need strength, need empowerment, need unity, need wisdom, need to subside for God to work.
If you've dropped by tis site to know how's Derek doing. Well, it's been a busy week for him, packed with assignments and projects. But I'm sure he'll drop a note sometime soon when he has got the time =) Goodnitey
~~Min~~
~~derek~~ at 8/28/2004 03:00:00 am
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Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Back
I'm back from my weekend trip. It was a hot, sticky n enriching weekend. =)
Batam is super hot n humid! I can feel it burning my skin! the air is like a dirt paint on my face! =P alritey enuff of complaints...count myself so blessed to be home
The experience is different from what the team expected. God has allowed many unforeseen situation to happen during this trip in order that we can learn hands on! esp our encounters during prayer and ministry time. Besides that, i see the hearts of these women. Tears of heartache they thought no one sees, their longing for healing and a fresh touch from Big daddy can be seen so vividly as they respond to the alter call. Beside that, the speaker shared about some issues during the evening service.
--Living the authentic lifestyle--
starving oneself for 5 days without food & water you'll be dead. Same goes for our spiritual being. Would you just attend church on Sunday or cell group to feed ur spiritual body? What would be the condition of your spiritual life? As good as dead ya know? Relationship is establish through daily basis. The time spend on other things e.g.TV program, internet, movies and the reality shows we watch does affect our body. Just like computers...Garbage in garbage out.. Relationship with the Father is more important den the service you offer. She made a very good pt, tho this requires changes in our lifestyle but I guess it's better to sacrifice these time and investing it in something more fulfilling --spending more time with Him. =)
It requires discipline...
~~Min~~
~~derek~~ at 8/24/2004 11:29:00 pm
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Thursday, August 19, 2004
Away on a mission
I'll be away to Batam this saturday for a short 2D mission trip and be back on sunday nitez. Juz a night stayover for their outreach event which my pastor has been actively participating. I've got to prepare a testimony for saturaday evening service and learn 3 Indonesian songs together with the team! (confession: i have not been practising them this week!) Besides that, we have to hand carry computers over as the team is setting up a computer room for the Child Care Centre. hmm...gonna buy Jesus Film VCD for the kids to watch as well =P Pray that their hearts will be ready to recieve Jesus as their personal Lord and influence their parents too! *Jesus is the Reason!*
I wouldnt be able to blog tomolo as i'll be staying over at Carlise's new house!! yipee... gonna jump on the bed! i wonder if the swing is up as well?!? kekeke anyway do keep us in prayer as a few of us have been down. Pls Pray for Good health, Safety, Unity, Protection & Hearts of the people. till den! I will share with you more when I've return.
~~Min~~
~~derek~~ at 8/19/2004 11:16:00 pm
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Saturday, August 14, 2004
Starry Starry Night
Went to the National Sailing Centre today. Attended this entertaining and educational talks by NP & SP Astronomy club about planets, solar systems, the gases, nebular, supernova, nuclear fusions, galaxies and etc before heading down to the carpark for star gazing.
Well in this light polluted region, we can hardly see much stars, moreover the sky was very cloudy but nonetheless we got the chance to see the Scorpius and Sagittarius by first spotting this orange bright star. (known to be the heart of the Scorpio) Situated at the South.
Made an attempt to find the Alpha Stars (known to be the brightest star in each constellation) of Auila, Lyra & Cygnus which makes a Summer Triangle. They are the 3 shimmering stars which u can see with ur naked eye during this season facing north.
Through the telescope, others around Scorpius were beautiful!! I saw star clusters NGC6231 which is located at somewhere around the tail of Scropius. A little green, white, blue in color!!!
---If the solar system is like the size of your fingertip. Then a normal classroom will be the size of One of the galaxy. How cool is that!? WOW, it's marvelous and God got the whole universe in His hand =)
What a showcase! i'm soooo excited, i cant sleep now!! haha
~~Min~~
~~derek~~ at 8/14/2004 11:56:00 pm
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Photos Uploaded... FINALLY!!
On a not so novellish or literative note, I've finally uploaded photos!!! Check out Our Photos on Pixum on the left side... go through the albums chronologically, starting with:
- BCC Internationals Culture Shock
- Sunshine Coast
- Sydney July 2004
- M.A.D in Bris July 2004
Have fun!
~~derek~~ at 8/14/2004 11:06:00 pm
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Friday, August 13, 2004
Can't get enuff, here's the second one
hey thks pple for all ur inputs. they are great! will use them for my subject titles someday! =) well I was thinking of using 'Dairy of Her Eternal Kiss' (refer to post July 31). -Her desires & love/the Everlasting relationship/The Exchange. heehee. *wink* i've not decided tho' there's still room for suggestions.
Anyway i had a chat with a fren whom i have not met for a long time. Some thoughts came to mind, so i had chapter 2. Njoy
----On Loving The World----
Charmaine loves the glamour, the attention and all that's in it. Her heart runs after the things that bring much delight and instant pleasure. To be cool, to be polished and be able to blend in the culture. The glamour is alluring, like magnet pulling her towards the ways of life. Her actions, attitude and perspective towards relationship Just like the mentality of many: Short and instant, quick and forgotten.
Her secret to life is never to let anyone see the cracks. Cover up if you need to with lies, superficial beauty or empty promises. Charmaine's motto: Life is beautiful when you are seen perfect. Meeting the rich and the powerful. Her sphere of influences are surrounded by willful thinking and idealistic wishes. Trying to fit someone into his or her own wish list. Looking for an ideal partner that eventually wouldn't satisfy their needs few years or even just months down the road. Let's Face it, no one will.
/tHe rEaLity/
James reminds her however, that flirting with the glamour of this world is like being the world's lover, an unfaithful friend, it is by her love of the world, by her spiritual disloyalty, that she become an enemy of God. (See James 4:4)
So are we indulging in this love affair with the world or having compassion for the world?
'Never give your hearts to this world or to any of the things in it, the whole world system is based on men's primitive desires, their greedy ambitions and the glamour of all that they THINK is splendid' 1 John 2:15-16 Phillips translation
~~MIN~~
~~derek~~ at 8/13/2004 11:14:00 pm
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Thursday, August 12, 2004
Story telling but a lesson to learn
I'm still thinking of a title for this so call Novel i wrote. Free to comment at our chatterbox. i need ideas!!
Non-Fiction or Fiction, go figure it out...
----Tale of her defeat that led to victory----
Friends say that Charmaine does not have a facade or whatsoever but actually deep down inside no one really knows what she's up to. What does it mean to be real?
To her, it really didn't matter much. She just wants to be seen nice, right and always pleasant. She learnt that being righteous is not a religious act but one, which she has set a standard to measure up. Like giving of her time and talents as an act of love, an act of service. With all eyes on her, she felt it was necessary to do so. She needs to know her worth she needs to match up to the standard she has set. People call this a burden, boundaries, a mark, a resistant. She feels there is no way out, it's the only solution to have secure self assurance that she'll be ok, to be seen perfect before man. Thinking that He will be pleased as well. However it didn't measure up.
Bec of that One mistake and Charmaine fell real deep. Right into the pit of endless battling of the mind within her. Reminding her of her wrong doings and her past experiences. How she has tried to play mind game with these people. The strategies used that kept her in her top list among the most wanted. Peers found her a challenge to defeat. Victory was always on her side. She played the cards well until she met this strong opponent, Ryan the dark n handsome chap. He was able to mind the game and mind the situation better then her. He counter react to all her strategies by playing it back to her. He had it at his fingertips. She was aware of Ryan and geared up the challenge to battle & get back at him.
The game got exciting. Charmaine was confident to defeat Ryan -yet another so called challenger. But this time, she failed. She lost to her own strategies. Fortunately pulled back in time by the ones who have been looking out for her all these while. Their concerns she once stubbornly rejected. Shocked and awaken by the drama. She knew she couldn't engage in this anymore. The tide has changed. There's nothing to do but to retreat from Ryan. If not, she'll be weighed down by the waves of destruction. Learnt her lessons, learn it the hard way and learn it well. Never will she use this on the one she sincerely cared for. She knows she has to earn that trust by trusting herself not to fall back to her old nature. Every man has his burdens. She might have lost the total trust towards people, the fear of opening oneself.
The seasons has past, perfect love has cast out fear. HIS reassuring words from above smoothes the raging wave that's within. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you." An ongoing process to surrender totally & undividedly. A desire to start all over again, but this time she starts by having 1 Corinthian 13 as her guide.
- To be patient, to yourself and towards others. Especially those who drain your emotional and mental strength unknowingly
- To be kind even when one receive hush words and sarcastic remarks
- To genuinely take pleasure in the knowledge that there are competitions and people who have much talents out there
- To deflect attention away from our accomplishments in respect to others
- To be gracious toward those among us who stand to profit us nothing
- To put aside our interests for the benefit of others
- To forgives those who have ripped us off. Leaving scars and unpleasant memories
- To live magnanimously. Trusting God amidst difficult circumstances, which we cannot change.
- To keep the faith to the end, when everything around us seems to be crumbling
This, perhaps is the application to life's daily realities in 1 Corinthians 13 (The Love of Christ) if we fail here, no amount of giftedness or personal sacrifice is of any consequence.
~~Min~~
~~derek~~ at 8/12/2004 11:09:00 pm
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Monday, August 09, 2004
Happy National Day Singapore!!!
Happy Birthday Singapore!!! hahahaa... its amazing how patriotic one can get when one is away from the country.. more about that later!
First of all was xlr8 ministry resort weekend!!! it was a total blast man!! the resort was pretty good... can't expect too much for a 3.5 star resort.. but then again, it's still way better than where we stayed at during Hillsongs.. hahaha!! I had a double bed all to myself.. although I didn't get to enjoy it that much.. cos we all slept at around 1+ am every night and had to wake up at 6+am to have breakfast and then head up to the hall for music practise.. but God was really awesome.. it just got better and better each night.. and Andrew and Vanessa Hoyes were a real blessing to us.. I just feel that expectancy in the air.. its like I can't help but be like so excited for all the things that are happening!! its cool!! =)
NOW we talk about August 9th... hehehe we had a National Day party over at Andrew's house.. wanted to catch the NDP through the webcast.. but it was really laggy and then the TV was pretty alright, but the actual screen was so small!!! ahahaha it was so funny!!! i need to get the pics from Milton... hhehehe... then some of us wore like red and white and all that.. Isaac even brought his small Singapore flag man!!! we ended up giving up on the parade and singing national songs so loudly in the living room then doing Kallang wave and all that funny stuff.. laughed until stomachache.. hahaha!! but it was so much fun... like 14 people in the house, including 3 malaysians.. having fun and enjoying each other's company!! =)
ok you guys got a holiday for national day... mine is tomorrow cos its Ekka day!! its some day when like the suburban regions put on show their produce and farm animals etc etc.. something like that.. hahaha.. =) so that's a public holiday.. but still gotta do work!!! project.. sianz right?! oh well!! till I blog again!!
"One people, one nation, one Singapore..."
~~derek~~ at 8/09/2004 11:59:00 pm
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