We rejoice because we have a hope that is certain. We rejoice because we know what Christ has done for us on the cross, which is to be the one-time sacrificial Lamb that reconciled us to God. We rejoice because by what Christ has done, we know that those who will just believe and trust in the sufficiency and necessity of Christ's act on the cross can cling to the promise of eternal life which is (and I quote from the KJV) "and this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

We rejoice not because people will believe in Christ when they see us so joyful. We rejoice not because of what Man might think,but because it's a real and natural and right response to what God has done.

Ok. I had a nightmare last night... Dreamt that the kids choir were TOTALLY not listening to me, even when I scolded them. They just walked around as though I was not there! Talk about classroom management...

But anyway, I just really thank God for them, because they have been training me in the fruit of patience. Now Lord, if You would please teach me the art of disciplining them... Still, in all the little time I spend with them each week (half an hour per week only!), I've seen them respond to songs with words that are so meaningful yet simple enough for them to understand. And when they really understand the song, they like it, and sing with much gusto!

Because of that, I decided to share them with all of you. If you want to know how it's sung, just grab any of the kids on a Sunday and ask them to sing. They should know! Meanwhile... enjoy!

Whiter Than The Snow
Whiter than the snow, purer than the clearest stream;
Wash me and I'll be bathed in purity, I long to feel clean.
A robe of righteousness, a robe that I could not afford;
My Lord, You paid the price, Your perfect sacrifice has covered up my shame.

And so I thank You Jesus,
For the sweet forgiveness of the cross.
It's a mystery, to amaze even angels,
That when Father looks into my heart,
He sees me now as whiter than the snow.

All We Like Sheep
Each lamb is precious to Jesus our Shepherd,
We can't wander out of His love.
He gives His life for the least of His children,
And everyone needs Him because:

Chorus:
All we like sheep, have gone astray.
All we like sheep have wandered away.
All we like sheep must learn to obey.
And follow Him, follow Him, follow Him each day.

God proved His love for us when He gave Jesus
To show us the way we should live.
We prove our love for Him when we obey Him,
And keep the commandments He gives.

(Chorus)

Alright people, the writer in me is re-surfacing again... I don't have a muse, but I got inspiration when I took a cab the other day. Those $20++ dollar trips are proving to be useful...

Anyway, I need some help! Pray tell me, what do you notice when you're travelling on the roads? Please reply people!!! I'm started on this story and I really need more help for ideas!

Can't decide if I was subjected to torture or was enjoying myself today? I think it was a mixture of both... And if I sound enigmatic, it's because I'm too tired. Hey, this is what 9 hours of finance seminars does to me... 9 straight hours. Ok, there was a lunch break and little breaks in between... but I was there for 9 hours and didn't talk to anyone.

So anyway, to reward myself, I went to buy CDs. Bought 3. Hahahaha... One's Corrine May's Christmas album The Gift (always wanted to get that!), the other's Amici forever's The Opera Band, and Katherine Jenkins From The Heart. Yep, CD binge. But hey, I'm happy! And I've got more nice music to listen to. But that's made me realize that I need a surround system to do the songs justice... Darn... more money needed... My own stereo is spoilt (it has good speakers but the CD player portion is spoilt), so am using Mag's portable CD player. Those kinda players don't do justice to these kinda songs! Hmmm...

But surround sound stereos are not high on my priority list. Heh... it's comfy working shoes, followed by comfy casual shoes, followed by digi slr, then stereo. Right. But no money. :(

Went for my first SSO concert yesterday. Yes, please don't let your jaw drop in shock, especially since I know I'm like the resident conductor and pianist in my company... then again, I never found anyone to go with, and was never asked. But this time, it just so happened that when I was walking to meet Janice & Jason to get Jere's present (oooo... string of J's!) I saw the banner. And it so happened that Jason asked if I wanted to go a few days later.

So anyway, the motley crew of Jason, Jerry (not Jere), Faith, and myself went. And I was the only SSO virgin among the 4 of us! *ashamed* Even up to the point where we sat down, I was a little apprehensive and worried that I might fall asleep as I was just so tired. But once the conductor stepped in, the magic began.

Gunther Herbig (the conductor)led the SSO in a very spirited rendition of Carl Weber's Oberon: Overture. I'd never seen a symphony play 'live' before, and loved every minute of it. The orchestra members from the same section were all so co-ordinated in their actions as they played their instruments. Sure, their body expressions differed slightly, but the precision with which they moved their hands, their fingers... it all melded together to create such a wonderful sound and visual experience.

Then there was Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major. Didn't really like this one, except for the 3rd movement. 1st movement was the musical version of a rambling person (thanks Jerry for that phrase!). 2nd movement reminded me too much of the music that played whenever Chow Yun Fatt appeared ominously in Curse of the Golden Flower. 3rd movement was light and cheery and short and sharp and sweet.

Finally was Strauss' An Alpine Symphony, Op. 64. Loved it! I could really follow the storyline of the 22 movements that 'showed' a mountain, climbers climbing it, their experiences of the warm sun and soft meadow, getting lost, reaching the peak, meeting torrential rain, and nightfall... And it was marvellous how the ominous undertone of the music (when the climbers saw an apparition) was so deadly I could hardly breathe. And when they reached the meadows, I felt the sunshine and warmth as well. And when the storm came, it felt cold too. Jason didn't really like it that much because he felt it was too visual (I think that's the word... Jason, what's the word? tell me if & when you read this ok...) But *pbbbbbbttttttt* I like it so there! It reminded me of the mountains in Switzerland... but it also brought back bittersweet memories of the times W and I spent while on summer exchange...

The whole experience was just good! I don't mind going for more such good performances. It's nice... and it makes me think about what's going on behind the music, unlike a lot of easy listening pieces that don't require me to think. That, and I think it's good for me to start listening to more live performances if I'm going to take my music diploma...

I'm such a doofus. Just realised today after widening my sidebar length that I've got 1768 virtual hugs and not erm... 176 virtual hugs... doofus... Thanks to everyone who gave me those virtual hugs! Was wondering why the counter wasn't moving. Hahaha... Yes, I can feel insecure ok...

I've succumbed and gone and gotten meself a tagboard. Yes Jan, this is for you coz you've been whining about how difficult it is to comment and all! So... haha... let's see who's first to tag!

Some people take their food very seriously... Check this (click on the word 'this') out from the NY times... Scientists from Leeds University have worked out the formula to the perfect bacon sandwich. And no, it's not an April fool's joke... Makes me wonder what the scientists will be researching next... aren't there more important things to research on than what makes the perfect bacon sandwich?

mybodyisbreakingdownandiamrunningandoperatingonmyreserves

oooooofuntotypewithnospacebarsorcapitallettersorpunctuation

imhighonstress...

Achieved a feat yesterday. Wanted to blog all about it, but I was just too tired, and it was too long a day...

So anyway, inert lil' miss mouse was dragged out and persuaded to play... play jogging. That was NO play! But lil' miss mouse just plodded on... and on... and until it was about 5km (can one of the runners give me an accurate figure pls?). Till now, lil' miss mouse has NO idea how she managed to keep going...

Coz' so far in all other runs with the bearies (that's the familial term for colleagues that my company uses), I can barely run 1-2km without getting short of breath and turning pale... having to stop and rest... before continuing. But no.... this time i somehow just kept going and going. I think it was the friends running alongside me that really encouraged me to go on. Otherwise, I might have just stopped and walk (which i was fully intending to do days before the arranged run).

About the experience, it was the start and the finish that were the most tiring. At the start, it was going without an end in sight, without knowing which route we were taking, without knowing how long more we were going to run. It was also painful knowing that all the other runners, especially the other two girls, had to slow down considerably so that I wouldn't be left too far behind or even left behind. But anyway, we all went on, and we all crossed that 5km mark! Easy for the rest, but it's really the longest I've ever run... And my aching thighs and sides are testimony to that... And we sprinted after that! And it strangely feels good to exercise... yeah lil' miss mouse is just an inert creature...

And after all that, NO WAY am I gonna tell my department or my boss! Unless they ask... Coz' then, there goes my 3.2km target for Bull Run this year, and I'll be bugged to consider running marathons! noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dependency. It's really only in times of distress and frustration that one really understands dependency on God. Sure, we can read Bible passages and nod our heads in agreement and say "amen!", but I think that unless we are really in a situation where we feel we cannot do it anymore, we cannot really claim to know what it means to be dependent on God.

I'm feeling really insecure right now. Good Friday vesper is tomorrow, and I'm singing. What's more, I had gastric flu in the last week, vomitted, took mc, and now have a sore throat from the two sick ladies in my house. And last Sunday during practice, I froze up in front of the mike. My voice came out squeaky. I really don't want to massacre the song... it's such a beautiful song... And then I think to myself, let's just trust God and leave it into his hands.

And then it strikes me as I was typing the first paragraph of this post... all we who are truly Christians are in a situation whereby we cannot do anything, we are helpless and hopeless. All of us have rebelled against God and cannot find the way back to reconciliation again by ourselves. God is the one that provided that way. God is the one who provided that faith to believe that way. And God is the one who will keep his promises that those who have faith and believe that way He will save.

Then all this brings to mind the Bible study that Serene and I have been doing. It's a quick overview of the OT, and it's a very challenging one. We'd never seen before how the OT points so much to Jesus, how God really was revealing His plan to the Israelites in baby steps. We saw how faithful God has been in keeping His promises, and how unfaithful mankind has been in keeping their part of the bargain. But yet, God is gracious enough to forgive.

And then I reflect... I don't deserve His grace or mercy. I don't even deserve to be saved. I'm just a prideful sinful girl... but yet God in His mercy, took pity on me and saved me. He stooped down to my level and helped me understand His Word. And His Word is never stale... a deeper level of understanding comes with more reading and study!

I'd like to end off this post with the lyrics of a song...

It Was His Love

It was His love that sent Him there;
It was His love that breathed the prayer,
“Father forgive them; they know not what they do.”
It was His love that said, “I offer Myself for you.”

It was His love,
It was Jesus’ love,
It was His love that said, “I offer Myself for you,”

It was my sin upon the cross;
It was my Jesus who paid the cost.
To set me free to live,
To laugh, and sing.
It was His love that said, “My grace, the gift I bring.”

It was His love that raised Him up.
It was His will that filled the cup with tender mercy that satisfies your soul.
It was His love that said, “Rise up, and be made whole.”
It was His love, it was Jesus love,
It was His love that said, “Rise up, and be made whole.”

It was His love that said, “Rise up, and be made whole.”
It was His love, it was His love!

That's it. I'm gonna get my hair permed... Why? Because I'm in the finance industry, I'm supposed to look steady and mature, and I don't. J&J mentioned the other day that I don't look much older than JL. Then yesterday, my french class coursemates thought i'm fresh out of JC... *grumble grumble* Yes.... but the change will not come so soon. It'll have to wait till I'm back from Vietnam. Haircare issues. And yes, my colleagues are bugging me to perm my hair as well... they say I look very good with permed hair... and skirt... and yes I'll look more professional so the others in the industry will prob take me more seriously and not just contact the other two in the team. Then next, DL wants me to learn how to drink as well, so I can schmooze with the fund managers, find out more about the funds and how they fund managers are like. Hrmmmm... perhaps it's better that they have their champagne and wine, and I'll stick to my Sprite (then let's see who's more willing to spill the beans! hee heeeeee)

Ok, that was the random thought for the day.