A Christ-ian

I am tired, like the wick of a candle that is almost going to start burning itself away. So I thought I should write about something that will make me think, and bring me closer to God, whom I can draw all strength and wisdom from. I'll share what I just took away from my quiet time.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.
He will do even greater things than these..." John 14:12 (NIV)

Jesus said this to reassure His disciples at the Last Supper, and He was just beginning to preach His last messages of promises, where interestingly, seems to have little interjections by the disciples themselves. In this context, I believe that Jesus was the only one who was clear about his motive for his lengthy speech at the supper table - the disciples were not fully aware of His impending capture and did not fully understand why he made those talks. It was only after Jesus' crucifixion and more significantly, His return, that the disciples saw the great need to find great strength and great faith in what Jesus had taught and said to them in the past.

And what are the matters that Jesus had 'been doing'? He had been performing miracles of healing and resurrection, OF WHICH the prime motive is salvation. Jesus said that the disciples were to follow His footsteps of saving the lost, weary and hurt. In the early church, it was because the people followed Jesus' example so closely that they were inevitably being called Christ-ians (lit. meaning 'little Christs'). Such a label itself already gave glory to God.

But that was in the early past. We, Christians of now, have taken this label all so lightly and for granted. If Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism (the list can go on) were all one religion, we could almost just assume that the Hinduist is just another euphemism for the Christian. BUT, NO. As little Christs, we should and we want to continue God's work on Earth. What's more, He's promised us that we can do greater things than saving the bodies of Man - saving the souls from that horrible terrible fearful second death, simply by trusting in this Almighty God that cannot be seen.

Jesus ends off this mini-section with v14, "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

What I saw was that He was implying the difficulties of carrying on Christ's work after He left. (And in literature, this is the technique of foreshadowing -whoa whoa!-) True enough the difficults were manifested in the forms of persecution, trials and tribulations and the limits of what the physical self can do. In Hebrews 11, people were 'chained and put in prison', 'sawed in two', 'faced jeers and flogging', and that was the price of living Christ's life. Similarly, we have own forms of equally challenging struggles and conflicts to grapple with. It will not be easy, but Christ has given His promise of Providence.

This reassuring promise tells my heart and soul that my Redeemer lives (on the earth again shall stand...), that Jesus never really left. That Jesus is Emmanuel.

THE TRUE CHRIST-IAN IS THE ONE THAT CAN DO WHAT CHRIST DID.

My QT book quoted the example of artist, Paul Gustave Dore (1832-1883), who had to draw his way through the airport customs to verify his identity, because he had lost his passport. You only know an artist is one when he can truly draw. You know a Christian is one when he is Christlike. How do we live a life befitting of a Christian? Christ has given us the Great Commission - "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt 28:19). To live like Christ is to do the work that called Him to die in the first place - to save the souls in the world. These souls are the souls of anyone who hasn't accepted the Saviour yet. They could be your mum or your dad, your grandfather who is in hospital or sipping coffee and scratching his toes at THE ever-generic kopitiam, your neighbour whom you've grown up with or never said hi to before, your closest friends who laugh and cry with you, your classmates who will be leaving to study overseas and have to face a new set of challenges unknown by local students, your teacher whose classes you always ponned/dozed off in, or a random person whom you bumped into accidentally. My point is, there are many people who have yet to become part of our family, and they do not have the peace and joy that we have in the Lord. It is our own responsibilities to reach out and evangelise.

I was also reminded of Phil 2:5, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus". At the heart of it all, a true Christ-ian is one who loves with the love of God. It is not possible to love in this way fully, but with the Holy Spirit, we have an amazing capacity to love, one that stretches the thresholds of humanly love. This capacity is great to the extent that one man give up his life for a brother. The sharing at fellowship reminded me of one of my resolutions this year, which is to love the unloveable. Christ kept Himself close to the beggars, the lame, the blind, the loose , the leprosied and the taxpayers, all of whom were discarded as remnants by His contemporaries. We don't have to go to the extreme of merely having unloveable friends (I admit that can be emotionally very draining), but we ought to make an effort to love these people, because Jesus loves them too.

It's not that difficult to be Christlike! Really. I've two reasons to justify my case.

ONE we are all created in the image of God.
We have the innate attributes that God has instilled in us since Adam was created. We have his attributes of love, mercy, compassion, the want of justice and holiness. Limitations aside, it is easy to love and make life better, because we want it this way. We were created to want it this way. We long and pursue that which is bright, good and beautiful.

TWO we have the residence of the Holy Spirit.
This is the more significant one of the two. Christians are under the protection and providence of God. Because of this, we can always cry 'Abba! Father!' to Him above to give us strength and wisdom to be Christlike.

We always highlight the struggles that we have being the salt and light in this dark and unsalty world. But we have the peace and joy that God gave. This peace is the peace that kept Jesus in slumber amidst the terrible thunderstorm at sea, and it is the peace that the world cannot take, and never gave. And this joy is what enables us to give thanks in all circumstances, for we know that all is done in the God's beautiful Will to make us prosper. Being a little Christ is not easy, but it is not that difficult either.

Discouraged

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thess 5:18

I'm a little discouraged now. I'm a minority around who doesn't have 5 modules yet, because I got outbidded TWICE. (Yes, I'm in NUS Arts, the faculty known for its obnoxious bidding competition.) :(

And school starts in 2 days' time.
And the appealing for help is only open in 2 days' time too.

But I'll give thanks to God nonetheless. Who knows I might get some really interesting module in the end? Anyhow, I know that through this little freshman crisis, God will be glorified. He is a provident God! So I'll make do and be happy with what I am currently left with - faith in God and comfort from all you dear siblings-in-Christ (hint hint).

AND I havent forgot about it. The Chatuchak episode hehe. Soon, it'll come soon. God bless.

English Lessons with Miss Tan

Delivered as promised.

After a day-long haggling with the hawkers for discounts, I was surprised by this obnoxious signboard. 'NO DISCOUNT. DON'T TRY.' Joyce and Si were good girls- they bought their shirts without bargaining or trying them on. Might have got taupok-ed if we tried either.

Okay this isn't part of the English lesson. But it dawned upon me that the single and double rooms were of the same price. Probably because the room size is the same, except that they put two pillows on the single size bed. (which what the inn we stayed at did! BOO.) Let's take a closer look.

Ok, that's pure cheap thrill.

This was pasted on the door. I felt reassured when Joyce thought she had spoilt the air-conditioner in the room that night.

One of my other cheap daily amusements just before we left for OBS-style shopping.

Lesson is now over.

Thank you Miss Tan. Have a nice day Miss Tan. God bless you Miss Tan.


(Final episode: The Colours and Wonders of Chatuchak)

Sawadeeka

'Sawadeeka,
Chan dong gan pai Siam BTS.
Khaw pun maak.'

That's about all the Thai I picked up over the past 3 days. Bangkok's a great place for a short shopping trip. We 3 girls -Joyce, Si and I- braved the treacherous taxi drivers and energy sapping bargaining, not to mention the budget meals of S$0.25 pastry, tuna and fruit.

So here's a brief tour with the 92 pictures I had in my camera. :)

I super cherished my window seat view this time round. The plane transported us to this secret upper realm of snowy land. Most clouds were little playing children who were moving too slow to be seen by the naked eye. They sat on this invisible floor, of which its meteorological explanation is the minimal temperature of the air strata to keep clouds as they are. A few looked like towering trees and frozen snowy tornadoes.

We settled in at Welcome Sawasdee Inn, tucked away from the noisy, smelly, sleazy Khao San Road. It was located at Soi Rongmai, where royal Thai silk weavers made their prized products for the King in ancient times. At the open-air lobby there was a huge altar for Krishna, the Hindu god with an elephant head and human body.

Just opposite the inn is a dragon graffiti. Joyce and I shamelessly revealed our serpent-sy nature due to the affinity we have with dragons. We're wearing variations of the backpacker's outfit: ethnic/bought from the-streets top + fisherman pants/gachos(?) + flip flops + shades (optional).

And here's the Khao San I told you about. It's a good place to haggle for low prices for shirts with cliche prints. It's a place I don't wanna stay for over 2 days at though. All that people-watching made me wonder about Khao San's true character. Many young Thai women were accompanying Caucasians. There was one who was even pregnant. I saw a young beer-bellied Caucasian boy with a cigarette in his hand. I saw 3 year old Thai kids who was playing at the sloppy stall instead of sleeping at midnight. I saw a woman burnt, discoloured and disfigured, begging for money, and a person curled into a ball and his chest like a paper lantern covering his ribs, shaking his paper cup to ask for money.

On a lighter note, Khao San is an interesting place (filled with Westerners many many). I wonder what would happen if the woman ever lost her grip on her balloons.

Oh oh! How can I forget! One of the small things that always keep me in good spirits with a happy stomach. 450ml Betagen drinks that cost only S$1 was a daily staple for me. It tastes absolutely like Yakult. Plus, Mummy says it's good for the guts! The water bottle in the foreground only costs S$0.25. Cheap cheap! Cheap cheap!

(Coming up next:
English lesson with Miss Tan - cranky Thai signboards)

A Violin Lesson

My previous lessons were preparing for the examination.

So this was how I was prepared.

ONE
Be courteous and smile.
Otherwise you will not pass.

TWO
Be aware of the type of examiner you have.
Old ones wear slippers with socks.
They are more generous.
Young ones wear more fashionably.
They are more stingy and want to prove themselves.

If you get the old ones, you can be relieved.
If you get the young ones,
"Good luck to you", my teacher said.

THREE
Sound tentative with Hmms and ahhhs and I thinks
so you can avoid being suspected as
a student who know deeper stuff.
Because once they know it, they'll test you
beyond the grade syllabus and fail you.


But I always thought examinations were
about testing and challenging one's calibre.
I think music is about doing my best.
It is about honouring God.
Exams are not about technicalities and seeking the loopholes to 'play cheat'.
And not about demeaning God's gift to Man.

I'm a little bitter.
But I'll take it in my stride.

July 3

Yesterday, I woke up at 10.30
and started practising my pieces because
my examination was at 2.43.

2.43. What a silly timing! Are
they really that anal that they go by the minute?
Then I did brainless stuff and
practised again at 12.20.

I reached the exam room and
Mr Tay was frowning at me
Why didn't you wear school uniform?
He told a parent it was the only dress code
allowed for ABRSM.

I thought, This is strange I already graduated!
He said, why are you late?
How could you be lost?

I stepped in and greeted
Mr Daynes he was a sweet old man who
kept smiling
Thank God.

When I stepped out, Mr Tay frowned
when I said I felt good but I could
have given more.
His pessimistic response
How can they test you 8 scales for grade 2?
They only test you 4.
I think you will do badly.
How come he's so sure?

I said goodbye and
I hope to settle for a more normal teacher.

I went downstairs for lunch and
had 2 roti pratas.
The secondary school girls were flirting
with the Indian stallholder.
I ate and I






bent my fork.

Car Accident

The violin and its disintegrated parts lay strewn across the road, its case crushed by the wheels that didn't brake in time.

Her legs were contorted, twisted in a grotesque position knees down. She laid quietly, like a puppet that was thrown out of the window. Blood was draining youth away from her face, her mouth agape and her eyes wide, as if her soul was being wrenched away with great force. Her hands were hardened claws, claws that told of shock. It was all too sudden. She wasn't ready to leave.

The headlights were shattered. There was already a small crowd gathering around the corpse. A man in lime green spouted vulgarities at the driver in iration. The people did not know what to do, except to wait for the ambulance to come, and perhaps save her from death. At least she might just be paralysed or she might just need prosthetics.

And the commotion went on, the man in lime green still hollering at the driver. But no one noticed her anymore, the gnarled body of the girl who wasn't ready to die.