Hello guys, exam fever man, how's it coming along?

This week I had to give a speech on my reasons for becoming a Singaporean. Haha. YA, like just 2 months after I became a Singaporean. And it was weird cos although I was a PR from Malaysia, I was born in here and grew up here. So I don't have any reasons for becoming a Singaporean. And this was quite a big thing, it was a programme to persuade PRs to become singaporeans, so the audience was quite big, and there were important people there to answer questions in a forum and stuff. So I had to wear quite formal and come early and rehearse.

But when it was my turn to speak it went horribly wrong la haha. When I started talking, I could tell the mic wasn't on, so I signaled to the PA that it's not on. But they weirdly gave me a thumbs up. And they kept thumbs upping me until I believed that the mic was on. So I started talking, although I couldn't here anything coming out from the speakers. So I thought maybe the speakers at the audience were on, so the audience can hear but I cannot hear.

So can you imagine, I was talking, talk until 1 paragraph but the audience couldn't hear anything. They must be wondering who's this weird guy who's talking and smiling to himself. Hahaha. Then one of the organizers finally came up and asked me if my mic was turned on. It was, so he signaled to the PA that there's no sound. Then the PA turned it on and the mic worked.

Haha. Weird.

So I started my speech again. And I wanna highlight a super funny part! I said

"....I was a PR from Malaysia and became a Singaporean just about 2 months ago...

bla bla bla...

...The efficiency here also makes day-to-day life easy to live. I think the efficiency here is well-known and needs no examples but I just want to share a couple. As soon as I became a Singaporean, they made me give this speech. ...that's really efficient."
HaAHAHAHAHAHA. Everyone laughed their heads off!

After that I said "just kidding" la, in case any seriously serious organizers or seriously loyal Singaporeans wanted to look for me after that. But it was seriously fun.




I lurve Singapore.



Ryan

Exams Kenneth

Ken, I'm very encouraged by how you are linking everything back to what the Bible says. What you went through was tough, you should have smsed or called me during the week!

Sometimes though, we apply what the Bible says to our situation, but may miss out on thinking about the God behind those words. :)

1. He cares for your situation.
"Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety unto Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

2. He wants to help you.
"Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety unto Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

3. He is mighty enough to help you.
"Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety unto Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

Sometimes we look at all the "instructions", that we miss out God's heart. We look at the "humble yourself" and the "cast all your anxiety". These things are important. But these are not instructions. These are responses, after we have realized God's heart for our situation.

Don't hesitate to pray for God's help. God wants us to pray so that we depend on Him.

Also wanna encourage you with this verse Heb 12:3
"Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Ryan

PW Experience PW (Project Work) is a subject that everyone takes in JC. Practically everyone has unpleasant experiences with it and that is absolutely not an exception for me. In fact, my PW experience has developed in me a certain anger/frustration that recurs when I'm faced with a similar situation (in the future)- a similar and mild version of e.g.  sexually abused people. I would want to keep relationships absent of conflict (being a Christian) and at the same time I feel angry angry angry. There was this pretense thing (a bit) that like workers act as if they are OK with everything in front of their boss or colleague when actually theres a deep anger between them- Enemies. So many things I did was not put in the project (Written Report). 

I thought this Discriptive Essay will give me a B at least (Junting) There is an ancient story that goes as follows:

A man who was the fittest of all time had won every running competition there was to win. One day, he woke up asking himself whether he could ever run faster than the sun. Failing countless times, he gave up and started pampering(*) his stomach. This went on and he became obese, envious of people around him, he could never be who he was again

This story encapsulates the importance of keeping fit. It is a pleasure and an honor to keep fit. There is a no need to look at other people and be envious of them because we, will be the cause of people looking at us. I will be the center of attraction and girls will be queuing up to go on a date with me.

From the ancient story, we can understand that running has been a form of exercise even in the ancient days. Until today, running is still among the few popular exercises existing in the modern era. Running is arguably the only few sports which enable us to perspire the most. It is my hobby to go on marathons, to look at beautiful scenery and at the same time, gain inspiration from them. Running enables people to look at the macho side of us and at the same time we are able to keep fit. Won't this be killing two birds with one stone?

Another way to keep fit is adopting a sport as a hobby. Now, in the modern world, soccer is one of the more popular sports. People like Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham are drawing the plaudits and we cannot help but to 'worship' them like idols. Soccer involves a lot of running and together with a passion and spirit in an individual, it can being out a professional player. Soccer is a team game and never a one man show. This sport as said involves running up and down a field allowing us to keep fit easily.

These fitness sessions we talk about are of importance because through them we can not only keep fit but also gain a level of discipline. Going to exercise is not a simple task. It needs the cultivation of essential discipline in us.

Finally, keeping fit is not just about running and playing soccer. Other sports and exercise are equally good and it is up to individuals to realise their own passion. However, how much exercise we do will go down the drain as long as we do not keep a healthy diet

Therefore, It is time to go out there and exercise!

"Fit and trim, dominates the world?"

14/30
Organized fluent but can be better(Teacher Comment)

:(

**

By the way, you know why i highlighted the word plaudits? Because it made the teacher check the dictionary because he didn't know what the word meant!

Hey oakers,

I hope what happened last Sunday is still fresh in our minds. Very curious to know how has your week been since? I hope all of us went back to think and pray about it, as what Joycelyn said. Remember what we shared with each other last week when we split into the 2 groups. What is one change you want to see in your life, and what is one change you want to see in jym or oak. How has it been? I hope we can talk more this Sunday.

Elza shared last week about sustaining a 'high', don't worry about sustaining a high. God sustains it. We take care of our inner lives. We stay broken at the cross, and seek Him every day with all our hearts, as what Elza shared from Jeremiah 29:11-13.

Just wanna share with you guys that quite a number of jymers' lives have been touched by God, i've been hearing here and there. Some have written emails and these have been forwarded even all the way to parents' friends who live overseas! And they say they're blown away by what God is doing here. One of the jymers shared that he now wants to do quiet time twice a day! People are being drawn to God. Change is taking place.

The power of change is in giving your life, and laying it down at the cross.


With love (yes i really love you guys, you can say its cheesy, but i do, haha),
Ryan

Hey ken, i'm very encouraged by your experience, i had a similar one when i was late for school last time also haha. Ya i remember 9 sept Daily Bread about pushing the blame to others. It's amazing how God makes His Word comes alive to our situations right. You can say that it's His training, that's true. I think that the best lesson from this is that as God's children, He makes His Word very real to us.

God's Word isn't just good food for thought. It moves us into prayer, it moves us into action.

Last time when i was in school i was late for soccer training on sat. My quiet time the night before was something about being truthful la, i forgot exactly what it was i wish i recorded it down. See, jym journal is important. When i woke up the next morning and realised i was late, i kept thinking of excuses to give to my coach. My coach is fierce and no-nonsense and can't stand late-comers la, haha. Then as i was brushing my teeth God reminded me of the quiet time i had. And i decided to tell my coach the truth that i overslept and let Him handle the rest. I didn't believe that my coach won't react. But i believed that however he reacted, it would be according to God's good plan and He would be in control.

So when i reached school, i climbed over the gate and crushed a snail when i landed. Hahaha. Just kidding about that. When i saw my coach i just told him the truth and he didn't react, cos he had sore eyes and wasn't in the mood to. Haha And he just made me sit out of the training.

Small thing but big lesson. God isn't a quiet God, He speaks clearly to our hearts.
But when God is quiet in our lives, there is sin. (1 Sam 14:37-38)

Yes ken, pay the $112, because it is what Jesus would have done if He was in your shoes. Really encouraged by your sincere sharing!


Ryan

Late for School Hi OAK, this is Kenneth posting again.

Don't you think that building looks very interesting? haha. i wanna live in an apartment like that when i grow up. ok. yes, i have decided to blog to make up for not seeing the blog these past few weeks. And also cause my com has a problem and i just cant seem to tag. haha.

Anyway, wow! Kenneth and Junting posted so much! esp. Kenneth! wow! ok, i shall take my time to read all of it when i have the time, hopefully i will. And like Junting said, Kenneth's post was really encouraging, i hope it spoke to you all in one way or another! Oh, and one more thing, yes, i was online yesterday, but for one sole purpose, i was helping my dad to do stuff. really! so i didn't see the blog. but yes, i shall try to see the blog more often!

-JOYCELYN

Today's Church Kenneth:
Hi everyone. Today church was good. When new people come to JYM, like the P6s, I would wonder what their impression of JYM is. Sometimes when JYM feels dry, I feel like telling them of occassions like today. What attracted me to JYM is its genuinity. (there may be other reasons) JYM senses its down and picks itself up. Many churches are superficial. When I went to the prosperity Gospel type (a few times a few years ago), I ended up doubting Christianity even more. I even feel a bit offended, like everything is a fake (I have doubts easily coz of my developed fear of false hope). 

Kenneth:
Today night was not pleasant at all. For 3 hours I frantically tried to get people to come for "Dining in the Dark", and to no avail- only could get Ivan. I should have just done some studies instead of frustrating myself up. $1-2 of sms (prepaid) and calls to ask people to ask other people (strangers) to come didnt work. In the end my PW group just decided to cancel the whole thing. In the reservation form under terms and conditions there is this:
"A compensation of 50% of the total dining cost is payable to ‘Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped’ in the event of cancellation with less than 1 working day of notification."

When I smsed a group member about the compensation required (I just discovered it just now), he just smsed me back:
"Aiya this is bull, you just tell them, you tried but cannot get thru. If not you just say cannot find the place".

Well I didn't book a place through the reservation form, which had the terms and conditions and this section:

Agreement by Client:
I/We have read, understood and agreed to be bound by the above-mentioned terms and conditions.

Name & Signature of Authorised Officer:
Company stamp if any/Date:

Reservation confirmed by:

Name & Signature:
Company stamp/Date:

I did it through Email instead, like this:

From: Zainah
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 4:57 PM
To: Ken_zonxon@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: Reservation for Dining in the Dark
Morning Kenneth,Thank you for your email and we are able to confirmed this booking as per request.Regardszainah

At 21:52 18/08/2008 +0800, you wrote:

Dear Ms Zainah, My name is Kenneth Teo from Catholic Junior College and I called about a week ago to ask about SAVH's Dining in the Dark programme. The handphone number I gave you was wrong. My handphone number is not 83367740 but 83867740. I'm not sure if there is still space for me to book but if there is, I would like to book it. The details are as follows

Name: Kenneth Teo LiGuang
Address: Block 420, Woodlands street 41
Number of persons: 8
Email: Ken_zonxon@hotmail.com
Dining Date: 5 September 2008
Dining Time: 12.30pmTel: (Home- 63627684) (HP-83867740)
Menu A
Yours sincerely,Kenneth
Zainah S Anjum
Admin Assistant
(PR /Appeals /Volunteers Co-ordination)
Tel: (65) 6251 4331 (ext 113)
Fax: (65) 6253 7191
Email: zainah@savh.org.sg

So in a way maybe I just try to not pay (illegally) because I didn't sign anything...
But its wrong. Its against Christian values. All my group members are Christian members. And that sms was what one of them sent me.

Ya...

I haven't had a good time with God in the holidays where there is opportunity... Maybe there's some sort of significant purpose that God made this happen (though its a rather small issue), I shouldn't have this anger or frustration...

My brother Keith just took his English N' Level paper today. He didn't really study for it. Just hope he will pass. He barely passed his English for his prelims, which was significantly easier than his N levels (from what he said and what I figured while comparing both question papers)Failing English N Levels is like looking towards "Game Over".
Okays Ending here.

The way we project ourselves Hello oakers!
Seriously, i have not been blogging much. Haha. This Holiday, i experienced a very very terrifying experience of how one can project ourselves.

For example the most common program youngsters use, MSN Messanger.

I think as Christians, we should always be outgoing, helpful, polite and at the same time respectful.

Now you must be wondering what am i getting into?
I think it is important how we project ourselves because through a simple conversation, one can always know how deep your walk is with God. How peaceful, happy you are being a Christian. Therefore, i think it is important on the way how we project and package ourselves. IF you do it good, then well done, people be it Christians or Non Christians will be able to see it through you. Especially being a good testimony for non Christians.

However, especially to new Christians, i think it is probably a greater importance to package themselves.

Why?
Being a new Christian, others are supposedly able to see the change within you. To be able to see the new attitude, the new revival in spirit. Thus, it is of great importance that they are able to show the change and revival in them. A whole new person following the righteous path to eternal life! This then can be a living testimony!

Thus, depicting a Conversation in MSN:

A:
Hey are you able to help me scan the notes for science?

B:
Im busy, Bye

**
I am pretty certain myself that you can see B is really unwilling and unhelpful to help. Perhaps having both as Christians, i think i can feel that B isn't doing well.

1) An absolutely crude reply of saying no
2) An absolutely laughable way the person projects him/herself

At my own point of view, i'd say that a better reply was needed. Perhaps a reply that seems more polite and allows the person to keep the good impression of B and at the same time able to allow A to have the feeling to look for another person.

What do i mean? IF B completely rejects A that like that, i doubt A will ever want to find another person because, A will be like " uh, if i find C and C rejects me like that then how?" Therefore i feel a better reply was needed.

For example:
"Hey, im kinda busy here, would you mind finding another person? Or i can do it later if you don't mind."

Most probably, A will reject saying i can find another person because he doesn't want to disturb B.

Ok get you get me so far?

**
Now, What do i mean by:
An absolutely laughable way the person projects him/herself

The way he/she replies shows the kind of attitude he/her has. Such a crude reply really shows the personality. Goodness me if i ever talk to someone and someone rejects like this! Definitely this will leave a bad impression of him/her. The way he/her projects him/herself is like this.

1) why should i help you?
2) i am self-centered!

I am sure, if B is a Christian, i can definitely see no direct change in him/her.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I publish this post, is to show the way how much we reveal about ourselves through a simple conversation. It is dangerous, if in any point of time we don't see a difference in our past and our present. Thus, i encourage you to sit down and think of the difference between now, and your past.

Also, i am not saying that i am judging you base on your walk with God on the way you speak or act. I am just saying that there will be a misconception about Christianity if WE being living testimonies and ambassadors of Christ ain't doing a proper job in preserving a good image of Christianity. I am just trying to convey the message of us, not doing our utmost best in the way we talk or act.

Side Tracking

I think there is a grave problem we face now as teens. Being occupied so much by something be it studies or gaming. This overwhelms us and thus we aren't who we are anymore. I hope my dear readers will be able to understand this. At the same time, always bring out a good projection of ourselves, be deep in God's word and find eternal peace in him. Just by being in love with God, we don't have to purposely try to project a good image, because we already are a good image.

JunTing

*PS: I hope someone will reply my post, of any disagreements you have.

Kenneth:
My legs were aching today, probably from running in the GYM on Saturday.
I was starting to feel bored or studying alone today, then I went to buy a shoe, a ReeBok running shoe. $70, thats the most expensive shoe I had before. I used a $60 voucher.

On friday after teachers day celebration, I went back to my old school- Marsiling Secondary- alone. I went back at 11+am, it was quite late. The 1st teacher I saw was my Amath teacher, Ms Yeo. She usually taught normal technical students so she is quite outright- say whatever is on her mind, without much restriction. I appeared infront of a few classmates and Ms Yeo, and what she said shocked me.
"A, you're from CJC? You can adapt to its lifestyle meh?" "How is it? Not very "Waw" (or "Wow") meh?"
I didn't say anything, just let out a faint "Huh?" I think I knew what she meant, but I didn't think her image of me was like "that". I think after a while I said, "happy teachers day" but it wasn't recieved well. It was kind of odd, like no one listened to what I said, though I was the only one talking.
After another while Ms Yeo said (in chinese- supposedly meant for other people to hear), "Still the same, no change (in my character)". Then there was silence again. I looked at her absent of words and she said (in chinese again), "He's looking at me like that, I don't know what to do (or say)", "I don't know what to say to him. How?"
I got reminded of "myself", about my experiences in Secondary school.

I talked to an ex-classmate, Jie Ming. He had 7A1s and 1 A2 for O' Levels and went to Innova JC (IJC). He asked me what time my school usually ended. 3 Days a week, IJC ended at 7-8pm. And they're rushing for PW now as they started late (they went slow at 1st) so they usually have meetings after 8pm. Whatsmore, their lectures are so slow. "4 lectures just to cover differentiation (excluding apps of differentiation)" thats what he said. (roughly the same as Secondary school Amath, nothing much new) That's crazy. Luckily I didnt go there.

Saturday, 30 Aug. I was looking forward to this day. I thought I (or we) was/were going to have a "traumatizing" experience, after Ryan said Joycelyn cried after watching Facing the Gaints. Well I didn't really cry. Actually, I didn't find that movie superb, though its quite nice. There was an instant during the movie when I felt some ugly thing about me. It was some kind of desire to "act cool" (not accurate). I usually did it at the end of Sec 3 (after my Biology video and "presentation", if you know what talking about). I thought...I think "me and sexuality" was more significant than I thought in affecting me. Stopping here.
Anyway, the day was still good. I like the "bluff" (about yourself) card game. We bonded. "An autistic guy told me he liked me and said I was beautiful". Black card-What should I say, wow.
I didn't feel uneasy in talking, or "expressing myself" as I occasionally do during cell group, or times like this day's morning, when we (the birthday peps) were waiting for the others in the MRT station.
On Monday I was playing with my balloon (the elmo balloon). I tied the string to a pen and switched on my ceiling fan to the fastest speed. Because theres some air circulation thing, the balloon seemed to be "moving on its own". I left it like that and went to do my work. Then "Pak". The string slipped of the pen and went up to the fan and got killed. How sad. I really felt a bit sad, like it had some sentimental value to me- it was just a balloon.

My father went overseas today. THAILAND, BANGKOK!!! I thought his company would cancel or postpone his trip. Since this morning there was a warning from "Singapore" not to go to some areas in thailand, because of the demonstrations against government, and that Thailand declared "Emergency" or something. I must pray for my father.

Okie I'm done. Going for dinner now. 7.50pm. I always spend a long time writing. Last time I didn't like to write. It was only until I started my spiritual journal on 31Dec 2007 that Catharsis started to appeal to me. Maybe I could have done better in Sec school compo... ok I'm done again.

Kenneth:
Greetings. Umm, what shall I say? I'll blog about myself again.

Okay, first(I think there's not going to be any "Second"), my Birthday. It was on 26 August. (now I checking my spiritual journal) All these years, my birthday hadn't been anything extravagant. But I think this year's one is kind of meaningful. It was a nice day. In the morning my mother gave me a card. It said "Sweet & endearing, we love the way you've grown- You're BEAUTIFUL in our eyes". After that I began reflecting. I "sensed" myself- in a way that I couldn't when I was in Sec 2. I had a personality. And God had a huge part to play in "creating" it.
Upon reaching reaching school, Zi Wei (my classmate) said happy birthday to me- I was somewhat shocked. We didn't really talk much and from several weeks ago from his gestures I thought he had something against me.
I also started hymning softly to myself the song "At the feet of Jesus" (and posted a video on the song here days later). I felt amazingly good, almost like I had just went for altar call and got myself cleansed up, lest having a normal quiet time (this was during the 1st period of school- "Student Development" my teacher was just talking (chinese) and many people half-asleep in class I think).
While I was discussing about Project Work (PW) during PW period my class suddenly sang "happy birthday" to me. Well this is normal for my class- or my school, but its like a different culture from my Secondary school. Although it can be odd at times, like you "pai sa" or don't know how to react, it still gives some kind of... ummm like bonding, friendship....rather than no one says anything...
Oh yeah and I felt what I usually felt for the past few weeks. I've not "shined" the passion or love I have for Jesus in my class, not even spread the Gospel much. Neither have the Christians in my class done anything much to be the salt and light (maybe they didnt even do anything except not being "evil people") although my JC is a Christian one. I also didn't open up that much. August had been a rather good month. I was "in shape" and not overwhelmed by work or sianness or other troubles. Yet I didn't do anything. I want to be "A man of God". Haha. I must step out of my comfort zone. I wanted to talk to the class- infront of the class. Actually its not primarily about God. From the day before June holidays I wanted to say something. Its about my fear. Fear of being rejected and detested. A big aim I have in JC was about developing my character, opening up, maturing in Christ. Aiya nvm shall stop writing about this here.

I still have more to write but I think I'll write tomorrow. About teachers day and the weekend.

I need to get 4 people to join my PW group in "Dining in the Dark" on this Friday 5 September at 12.30pm at Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (somewhere in toa payoh). Its $28 per person. Its a lunch of fish n chips as the main meal- I think its like a restaurant. The description from the website goes,
"Dining in the Dark is a programme to promote awareness of vision loss to the public. It aims to give participations the experience of how a visually handicapped person copes with the simple task of having a meal.
You will enter a totally dark room escorted by our experience visually handicapped servers. Apart from eating your meal, you will be encouraged to pour yourself a drink from a water container. The experience will heighten your sense of touch, smell and hearing to compensate the repressed vision."
I'm doing this for PW. I'm inviting you all to come. You may like the experience. Sms me or something if youre interested. Thanks.

Signing off
Kenneth