I havent been blogging lately have i?

Well! The reason for the above statement: http://mcyearbook.blogspot.com has been keeping my blogging (on this blog) kinda dead. I'm back though! hehe~

I just got well... at least i hope so. This virus has been going around campus for a few weeks and I got the bug... dang! So I was sick and my dad told me to take some tea. I open the tea and read the instructions... hot water... use 2 teabags... use prunes... PRUNES?! WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO GET PRUNES? Oh well... nvm... i'll skip and make do without prunes.

SO i boil the water, take out the teabags wait for the water to boil... then i take out the trash; i picked up the box and there was something inside! I shook the contents out and whee... guess what? - PRUNES! hahaha! That was SO funny! 2 little prunes in a bag... man... the chinese think of everything! Here's a picture of it :D

I got my bike today... it's a 1 1/2 year old Suzuki 125CC (small bike) clutch type and it came all souped up! Paid a grand $550 (I paid in Thai Baht but that's the SGD equivalent) for my first motorvehicle. Here's a picture of it! Feels good, rides well... been well taken care of by the previous owner. I'm gonna have to fix it up a little though - the clutch is a little non-responsive to me and the rear brakes are a little tough to step on (maybe im just weak? haha). Nevertheless~ I'm glad to have a new ride!

Well, today i was at the fanwars and i drove my new bike to the market to shop! Yeahhh!! Wet market!! I bought... kuay teow... its SO STICKY... singapore kuay teow kinda does not stick so much? I cooked fried kuay teow and it tasted sooo good! haha :D yay! Will be cooking more i think! Thats it from me for today :) After being away for so long! *awww*

Saturday afternoon

The festival of faith is now over and to be honest, i'm a little sad cos CLAY won't be playing this week... haha~ oh well :) Happy Sabbath people!

Your love for me

Born out of an experience I just had... I fully am aware of how impossible, yet real, God's love for me is... as sure as the stars are up in the heavens each night when I look up into the sky, I know that God's love for me is there; even when I feel disconnected from Him, he never does disconnect Himself from me.

Your Love For Me
Lyrics & Music ©2005 Nathaniel Tan

Your love for me is ever amazing
You gave Your life for one such as I
And though I may never fully understand
Your love for me, will never end

This little chorus here holds so much meaning to me... just so, so much.

Thoughts of a worship leader

Its the day after the first day of the Festival of Faith and I must say that it was fantastic; last night. The worship was simply awesome and credit has got to go to God. To see the many people sing, raise their hands, shout and clap in adoration and praise as we sang in the loud and quiet moments - The joy cannot be comprehended! I think that it is a wonderful joy and also an extremely difficult tast to be a worship leader. To be able to get your team of musicians and singers psyked up so that they'll be able to help you in leading out in mass public praise is a challenge.

Worship leading vs Song leading... so what's the difference? I believe that the difference is in how the songs are presented. I would call "Song leaders" those who simply pick songs out without much or any prayer and careful planning. They go up to the stage with their team and go "Our first song is...." and then "our next song is..." finally ending with "Let's all stand for our opening song...". The songs might not really flow well to set the mood right for worship.

Worship has to be inviting in itself; carefully orchestrated to bring people to worship - WAIT!?!?! IS THAT PLAYING ON EMOTIONS?!?! - That's a big question... so is everything planned so that people get all emotional and feel like they've had some spiritual experience? I must admit that more often than not, such things happen... but why? A reason I can come up with is that the worship leader/s and the team have not fully given themselves to God before the worship service... it still is, to them, a performance of some sort for themselves. Such "Worship" sessions try to emulate the effects of the Holy Spirit working within the people who are worshipping but the effects are only temporal.

What then is true worship and why do we plan?

The big plan is to guide each and every worshipper through wherever to meet our creator! The team has to understand that all they're doing is guiding and they're not dragging them. To guide, one has to be pleasant and tactful... you're dealing with people - hence, worship should be well planned so that the music is pleasant and able to bring people to the heart of true worship. From there, the Holy Spirit is given the task of moving around to touch the hearts of people, and I believe that if you sincerely pray about having the Holy Spirit touch the hearts of the worshippers, He'll be there and you can be very sure that He'll cause quite a stir!

Right... so now, on to tonight's service! :)

Mr George and Mr Atikom talking about fire safety!

A small little pic here of a possible yearbook cover :D

You made a way...

i wasnt feeling in the best of moods today when i got up. i put on a white inner-shirt, a black giordano collared tee and a nice pair of giordano jeans with my tan shoes and trudged to church. too many things happening all at once recently and i'm trying to get a grip on things.

in church, it was communion service and i had pretty much consciously told myself that i wouldn't take part in the service as i really felt down in the dumps. the music was great... the chamber choir sang and shimona, if you're reading this, you guys did a great job! i'm sorry i didn't say that to you in person; i know it would mean a lot more, but i'm just not feeling too upsy-daisy right now. anyways, pappu asked if i was gonna take part and i said no... i sat there for a bit and then suddenly david is behind and he goes like "hey nat, you gonna take part in the foot washing?"

"nope... not feeling too great. don't feel like taking part this time round"

"oh... um... okay... its just that i dont have a partner for the foot-washing" he replied after looking around a bit

i thought for a split-second and i dont know what came over me... "okay, tell you what, lets go. i'll wash your feet" i went.

i walked with him to the hall with the wash basins and i must say that i wasn't all too chirpy... i was doing it because i felt bad for him i guess? no one to wash his feet? oh well... what the heck, i'll do it... im a nice guy anyway, why ruin that "great self-image" that you want to portray?

so we're in the room and he gets his socks and shoes off... i kneel down and everything suddenly goes blank for a second. i'm wondering what's happening and what's going on... i take his hand and we pray. the prayer was a wonderful prayer and i felt my burdens lifted for that one moment... and the rest of the day has changed pretty much after that. one part of my prayer went like..." Lord, i didn't want to take part in this today, but You brought David over here and led me here. I don't know how and why You've done this... but i really appreciate it. I'm casting my cares, my burdens on you right now and I'm not gonna bug You about it because I know that You always hear and You never forget. I know that You'll answer me in Your own good time and I'm thankful enough for that promise..."

i'm back in my room resting before rehearsal in about an hour's time for the Festival of Faith. Just sharing what God can do for someone :)

I'm calling... are You even listening!

Where are You?
Are you even listening to me?
Do you see the problems that are starting to stir up right now?
Are you turning your face away from me?
I'm trying to look to You for answers and I get none...
Things aren't exactly a cakewalk right now and You know it!
Why is it that You're letting me go through all this?
I don't wish to go through it again, NO!
Have You forgotten that I'm around? That You're supposed to care?
How long more will you forget that?
I don't wish to stand by and let things go the way it's gonna go.
I can't stand it.
Where are You?
I know I'm supposed to trust and obey but what is there to trust and obey for when everythings a mess?
Maybe its organized-chaos for You and I'm simply caught in it.
Perhaps I need to learn more, but can You make it less of a burden?
I'm struggling and You know it...
I toss in bed because of what You've allowed
Maybe it's my fault that all this has been coming upon me
But I will continually trust in Your unfailing love for me
For You have said that You will never leave me nor forsake me
I'm holding You to that promis
Don't You even think about failing me
I'm trusting, holding on...
nat.