Youth Formators:
Carl Siew Firmin Silvester Lee
Geraint Wong
Hector Lee
Juliana Teo
Adult Formators:
Philip Heng
Grace Cheah
Ken Chua
Karen Tham
Francis Lim
Members:
Arlana Tan
Arthur Chong
Brendan Michael Charmaine Lim
Cedric Chua
Cheryl Chong
Claire Chua
Georgina Tan
Ian Lim Jane Chua Jeremy Lim
Joshua Tan Kendrick Tan
Matilda Goh Matthew Chua
Melissa Heng
Nicole Nithiyah
Noel Tan
Hey peepz, sorry i couldn't make it for dinner tonight, had a prior engagement before hand. Was really happy to have met so many of my friends at J8 in the evening one after another. Bumped into Nana first and 3 of my choir friends one after another. Make me realise the amount of friends i have around me, make me feel like i need to cherish them more.
In the process of reading this great book The Zahir that i found in my bro's room. Really thought provoking about the search of Happiness. A relationship is built on how much you invest in it, the more sacrifices you make for it, the more precious it becomes. The only risk you have in a relationship is time and effort, feelings ain't a risk because its what you make out of it. You can't make things better by feeling sad about a broken relationship, you just have to sit through it and get on with another if its not going to work out. People tend to forget the most important part of a relationship, communication. A simple act of conversation can work out problems and resolve misunderstandings. But the present world is too caught up with the cinema, computer, internet, etc. Enough rambling, I'll be able to understand more after i finish it. But I dare say its the best book on the topic of true love that I've read thus far.
Found this really cool video on youtube by accident at work yesterday, probably going to fascinate Kendrick. Sorry Mat if this makes him a little more obsessed :p
Have you ever wondered while you are reading this blog in the comfort of your own home, being able to use a computer and to access the internet, there are people out there, who doesn't even know when will their next meal will be, or is waiting for the day that they will be able to go home.
Have you ever wondered why God has bless us with a good family, a school to go to, friends to be with, and that we do not need to worry when our next meal will be? And why then again, why are there people in the world who are suffering? Being homeless, rejected, displaced, abandoned, helpless, and having no one to love them? Is it that God is not blessing them? Is God rejecting them too?
If we say that we deserve what we are having now, does that mean that these people who are suffering deserves what they are suffering?
Today, we celebrate World Refugee Day. The Gospel reading speaks about the story about the Good Samaritan. The spirit of the Good Samaritan brings out the 2 most important virture of Christian Living, and that is, To Love God, and To Love our Neighbour.
Without loving God, we are unable to love our neighbour. And likewise, we are unable to love our neighbour if we do not love God. These 2 commanments are interconnected. It cannot be separated.
Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict commended that "If we want to walk alongside with God, we must love the poor".
God is in the poor. And to convince ourselves that God is in the poor requires us to have a lot of faith. And our faith will only deepen if we deepen our love for God.
Christ broke himself for us. Are we ready to break ourselves for others?
while in class today, I spoke to my class about being thankful and grateful for whatever we have received in our life.
one of my P5 boy asked me, "Mr Lee, why do people choose to do things that they will regret?"
honestly, i was shocked to hear that. It took me a few seconds to response to his question.
"Choices", I told him. "We live in a world where we need to choose everyday. Be it small or big things."
Yes, in our everyday lives, we make choices. From simple ones like deciding what food to eat for our meals, to big ones like which school should I go to, which course should I study, etc etc...
Our choices affect our lives. If we make a wrong choice, then we will have to face the consequences. If we make a correct one, then we will reap the benefits.
In the process of making a choice, do we allow God to influence us when we make a choice, a decision? Or do we allow the influences of the commercial world, peers and other sources of distractions affect our choice?
i have a little sharing, of my own personal experience to share with you. I hope it will stir some thoughts in you.
for the many years in my life, i have many dreams, many things that i dream of doing.
i dream of starting a band (i'm serious). i dream of being a sucessful teacher. i dream of being rich and famous. i dream of being a singer. i dream of a lot, a lot of things.
but somehow, all these fanciful dreams that I have doesn't seems to be happening.
rather, I see that God is calling me to a total opposite of what I dream of doing, what I dream of becoming.
All of us have dreams. We have dreams of becoming this, becoming that. We want to do this, we want to do that. We want to achieve this, we want to achieve that. Everything is about "Me, Myself, and I". We make ourselves the Holy Trinity. And when things doesn't turn out the way we want it to be, we blame God for it. We question the presence of God.
God has created us out of his own image and likenes... In this weekend's gospel, we have been reminded that we are worth much more then the sparrows. Thus, since God loves us so much, will He not wants the best for us?
God too, has dreams for us. And His dreams for us is to be happy, simply because this God of ours loves us, and thus, He wants us to be happy. The happiness might not be the happiness that our world offers. The happiness that God has for us, is a happiness that I would call it, a 'bittersweet' happiness. Bitter, because His dreams for us is very hard for us to accept. Sweet, because that is the real happiness that God wants us to get. And that happiness is sweet.
Back to my experience. As I look back at my life, though not very long, only 22 years (stating the fact that I am not very old), I see that God indeed has dreams for me. And He has bigger dreams for me, which I am sure, base on my own human strength, I will be unable to fulfill it, and in addition to that, be very afraid about His dreams for me.
But, whenever I entrust myself to fulfill His dreams for me, I'll get to taste the sweetness of it. The ultimate sweetness comes in the peace that comes along with it. People around you will see the difference in you. The peace of God in you will make you glow. You will still be yourself, with the difference that people around you see a change in you. Not a physical one, but a unspeakable change.
So my friends, when you pray, pray for the grace and strength of God, to enable you to fulfill the dreams that God has for you.
God has dreams for you. Do you dream of fulfilling those dreams, for God?
Hey EDs! Its my exams next week and I haven't really studied for all my modules yet. I've been sick this whole week. Flu, cough, headache, dizzy spells, body aches and etc... Only decided to visit the doctor yesterday, where my throat hurt so so bad. Dont know how am i going to makan whatever food we're going to order on Sat ( June's babies Bday celebration ). Argh... thinking about my exams... sigh..
Honestly i dont feel good physically and mentally. Still having dry cough like nth, no mood to study for exams and having alot of things on my mind.. I'm just looking forward to the 28th June (sat), Sis coming back. ARGHHH.
sometimes, i wish i was born in a 3rd world country, in a place where i am unable to get whatever i want, so that I would learn the real meaning of life.
sometimes, i wish i was born poor, so that i can appreciate the simple good.
sometimes, i wish i was born in a place where i need to fight for what i need, so that i don't take things for granted.
sometimes, i really wish that God did not provide me with as much as what i am having now, because the more He provides me, the more I think about myself, and less Him.
Recently, I had coffee with one of my priest friend, and would like to share his story with you. Do take a few minutes to read it.
When Fr. Bob (real identity not revealed) was in the seminary, studying is the bulk of his seminary formation. Day after day, he has to, together with his other fellow seminarians, attend many lessons and classes. The subjects that he was taking are subjects that are completely alien to him. Liturgy, Greek, Latin, Theology etc etc etc...
There are times when Fr Bob questioned about his vocation. "Am I really called to be a priest?" he wondered, looking at the many difficulties he faced in all his subjects.
After 8years of seminary formation, Fr Bob finally got ordained in 2003, and now an assistant priest in one of the pairsh in Singapore.
I asked him how did he managed to pull through the difficulties he faced in the seminary?
He answered.
"One must have the faith to know that God is in control of everything. Whatever we have belongs to the Lord. Our work, our studies, our talents, our gifts, our vocation, our laughters, our sadness, our joys etc... These belong to the Lord.
As such, I've never failed to spend time in prayer, even in times when I am rushing for my assignments and tests. While all my classmates are studying, I can be found in the chapel, spending my time with Jesus. It is not that I am in a desprate need, and thus, seeking God for help. Rather, I know that God shouldn't be rank 2nd or 3rd, then the 1st. He superceeds all the tests and assignments that I have. Since the first day of my seminary formation, spending time in prayer has always been my priority. In days when I am in doubt, or even in times when I felt that God wasn't there, God wasn't real, I just sat down in the chapel, or in the prayer room, and be silent. Each visit draws me closer to God, and allowed me to know that He is the one that I am looking for. Every other things come later."
Then, Fr Bob explained to me this scripture text.
Jesus asked Peter 3 times. "Simon Peter, do you love me more then these". Peter answered, "Yes Lord, you know I love you more then these." (Bearing in mind that Jesus asked Peter 3 times, and he could already be very irritated and annoyed with that same question)
What does Jesus mean by "love me more then these?"
the 'these' refers to our work, our studies, our ministry, our everything. Jesus is asking Peter if he loves Him more then his ministry, his work, his life, his everything. (Note that Peter was already actively spreading the Word of God) Even though Peter was doing God's work, Jesus still asked him if he loves his ministry more then Him.
Fr Bob continued.
"That is what Jesus is asking us. And that is, to love Him. It is not so much on what I do for God, but what God is doing for us. And because of what he has done for us in our lives, loving Him is the least we can do for him in return. All our successes, our works, our studies, our everything are given by God, and not created by ourseleves. However, sadly, many people today spent most of their time in their studies, works, ministries, rather then acknowledging the fact that all these comes from God. People depeneded on human intellect, human thinking to explain for their own success. Thus, God became 2nd, 3rd, or even, last."
"When God is the focus," Fr Bob explained, "there's nothing we should be worrying about, because God is in control. God wants the best for us. Then why do we need to worry, when God is taking care of everything?
EDs, how true is that. Many a times, we focus too much on our work that we put God aside. And we only turn to God when we are in need. God has became an ambulance, more then anything else. What Jesus is asking us is a very simple question, and that is, "Do you love me?"
How are we going to answer Jesus, truthfully, and honestly? And do we mean what we say?
Hello ! I'm so dead for my blocks :/ And it's counted 35% towards my this whole year's grades. But anyway, that's besides the point. Here are some pictures from Germany (:
They said the disney castles was based on this one. Cool right ! (: And we got to go in and see. It's damn pretty inside ! Sadly no photography were allowed, so yeah.
Cows ! So cute right :D
The small hut thing on the left is called hell, and the one on the right is called heaven. Last time prisoners were kept in hell. The rooms inside are really small and they smell :/ Ahha. Anyway, apparently now people do get married in heaven ! Hoho. And this is yet another caslte, though different from the Neushwanstein castle (:
Cathedrals ! (: They're all so pretty (:
The Berlin Wall.
Entrance to Dachau concentration camp.
It means shower room, where they led the people to believe that they were actually going to have a shower, but actually it's the gas chamber :/
The memorial for the people who died there. Ashes are laid there. on the flower bed. The whole thing was so depressing kay ):
I'm lazy to upload already (: Yup ! The greenery there is amazing and so's the weather ! (:
Hey EDs! I've been really busy recently. Its study week but i just dont feel like studying. THIS IS BAD!!! haha. Anyways, i just tried being an jackass by spray painting my laptop black. Dad scolded me for trying such things on stuff like laptops. Haha. The first spray didnt go well, one side was glossy one side matt. then did i like a few more times and its much better now. i'll post of pictures of the final look of it, in the meantime, these are the pictures for the first spray.
oh! Recently the sky has been really really nice. Next time just it out when your bored or something (:
hello, i was so exhausted today. )): woke up at 9.30am, watched television, went back to sleep at 11am all the way till 2.30pm! hahahhaa, omg what a morning. anyway, MINDS was not too bad today, cheers to cheryl, jane and josh who did such a fabulous job! ((:
heylo there people! this is my first time posting here.
i'm on my two pathetic weeks holiday, so to start off my baking spree i whipped up some cupcakes on monday. don't drool on your screen! haha okay, i was just wondering if you guys are craving for any sweet treats too, let me know okay. i'll try my best to bake it for you guys.
anyways, my livejournal is locked up now, so just create a LJ account and yeah you can view it!
Hey EDs! how have your been? It SEEMS pretty long since the last time we met! haha. Nana was suggesting that we go ESCAPE THEME PARK. HAHA. sounds exciting huh? I can still remmeber the last time i went was when i was like 13 or 14 years old and i couldn't try the Go-Kart. NOW I CAN! Oh wells.. Anyways I've been given a chance to learn Studio Photography in SP. So now i can go into the studio anytime to just play around. The lightings and all are so bloody cool. I hope my house can have one next time. HAHA. Madness.. I've also recently created an account on this site where by pictures can be posted and all la. People can buy the picture you posted up to know. Damm cool. Anyways, pls check out my gallery, i hope to post up more photos soon and thats pretty hard, based on the fact that i've been really busy recently ):
They said the disney castles was based on this one. Cool right ! (: And we got to go in and see. It's damn pretty inside ! Sadly no photography were allowed, so yeah. 
Cows ! So cute right :D
The small hut thing on the left is called hell, and the one on the right is called heaven. Last time prisoners were kept in hell. The rooms inside are really small and they smell :/ Ahha. Anyway, apparently now people do get married in heaven ! Hoho. And this is yet another caslte, though different from the Neushwanstein castle (:
Cathedrals ! (: They're all so pretty (: 
The Berlin Wall.
It means shower room, where they led the people to believe that they were actually going to have a shower, but actually it's the gas chamber :/
