Going the Extra Mile for Service

That’s the slogan for the service campaign in Singapore.

Today’s speaker: Rev Margaret Tay, used that slogan to bring her message across. In line with Vision month at Trinity, they continue to ask for more people to volunteer in the church.

I’m not sold on the idea yet. I don’t wish to commit to any of the work at church. No demonic inhibitions, neither are there any divine inspirations for going forth.

Anyhow, allow me to bring for this afternoon’s message.

Mark 10: 45
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

After introduing GEMs and it’s contemporary context in Singapore, the Pastor spoke about how Jesus was the exemplary character of service. He came from Heaven to serve us all.

Introducing the idea that Service is NOT optional. Rather it’s a matter of choosing who to serve. Either we serve ‘the bad’ or ‘the good’ – in our cases, it’s serving God or Satan. She recounts biblical kings that although were at the highest of power among men, still served and worshipped God.

The spirit of serving is going the extra mile. It means to go twice the distance when someone ask something of us. It is also about giving up our rights willingly to help and assist others.

Why do we serve?

1. We want to be more like our Saviour.
Mark 10:43 says that whoever wants to great among you, must learn to serve. In fact, Jesus the greatest lived a life serving others. He washed his dicisples’ feet, helped the lepers, and eventually gave his life for us. He came as a man, he served and eventually gave his life, which is the ultimate service.

2. We love our Saviour.
John 21:15-17 speaks of Jesus asking his disciple peter whether Peter loved Jesus. and if so, to take care of his sheeps. To be a good servant, we must be a servant to all people. We must make ourselves available to the NEEDS of people. We must make ourselves available NOW (and not wait forever for the perfect moment or condiiton). We must do it so that someone else can do what NO ONE ELSE can do. (Acts 6:2-4)
If by serving in that position, we can help someone be free of that task and that someone might be able to concentrate on doing the things that only he/she can do, thus doing things that NO ONE else can do.

In conclusion, she reminds us that we begin to be servants to te Lord when we gave our hearts to Him. Therefore, we are His eyes, His ears, His mouth, His voice in the world and must remember to let the Lord do his mighty work through us His witnesses.

God bless and have a good weekend.

I’m at it again.

Sighs … it’s just too much coding to do … I’m just not going forward … Keep running into problems … I wish those papers woud explain the process clearer … I tot I got it, then I didn’t …

Gg to take a break from coding this now … (though it’s really a sick feeling that I know there is so much more yet to be done and I am putting it aside). I need guidance again. Time to seek my Prof for more clarification and thoughts.

The 1 week break is gone too … so that leaves me even less time to figure out what to do for my HYP.

“Stay calm. Stay cool. Breathe!”

4272

Assignment 1 for this module is done. Finally!

Took such a long time to get it done because of the lack of familiarity of the software used and all the bugs in the software which only caters for a certain usage pattern. Obviously, we overlooked it, considering how lacking the online documentation was.

At least that’s done.

Now, I can focus on my Compiler project and my HYP. Both of which requires intense work and loads of sleepless nights. ** yawns **

It’s Mid Autumn soon! Moon Cakes are everywhere. Was at Tiong Bahru plaza waiting for my mum and I tried the mooncakes available. Still prefer the tradtitional flavours like lotus paste and yam compared to lemon orange or orange or mango flavours.

Got a box of Bengawan Solo mooncake consisting of lotus paste and yam. Get yours now, 1 box (of any combination) has 10% discount. Saw the Teochew yam mooncake sold by Holiday Inn, but didn’t get it cos’ they only sold in boxes of 4 and I cannot finish that all by myself.

This afternoons’ RAS group meeting was a disaster. The main talk was so confusing. Barely understood what was going on and I’m glad my Prof decided to ask the guy the reorganize his slides and do up his presentation again for a future session. (and yes, doing animation in ppt takes a very very very very loooooong time, but it really helps in uderstanding … so thanks to my prof for pointing that out.)

Good night, need to get rid of some eyebags, if not I will have no more eyes and only the bags!

T-Bone

Had my huge portion of steak today for lunch.

My mum doesn’t eat beef. My dad stopped eating beef. My brother ain’t in Singapore.

So … drag my friends to eat steak. =)

Went to attempt to repair my Swatch watch. Changed the battery for 1 of them. The other was a goner. Time to get a new one, BUT, there isn’t one just like my old one. Nothing as good, nothing as beautiful. Yes, I am faithful. I had the watch for 4 years and would have been for many more if it hadn’t stopped after ‘catching a cold’ in the torrential rain. I shall have to wait for the next heart stopper in the next season, or the season after next, or thereafter.

So much books at Borders. Everytime I go there, I want to buy up so many new and interesting books, but I know that I really don’t ave enough time to read it all. There are still loads of books and readings to be done. I shall postpone to more leisure times (maybe when work begins?!).

Spent yesterday and today planning the next major iteration of programming for my HYP coding. Hope this would help in making the coding process more manageable.

Have a good weekend to all.

p.s. Thanks for the lunch company and the Bauffel. (“,)

Guest Speaker from ICLV

Rev. Paul Goulet, the guest speakerfor this week’s sermon, is a Pastor from International Church of Las Vegas.

He spoke about “Serving to discover our true divine potential.”

We are all designed for divine destiny, we are all designed to fulfill this divine destiny and we are all designed to function in the divine nature of God.

We all think thoughts that are creative and divine, which allows us to make choices that are creative and divine and leads us to fulfill our divine desitny.

God wants us to be led from glory to glory to glory … (it’s never ending glory.) He pre-destines us to do great things. We need to focus on that God given destiny and break through our psychoogical barriers and reach for glory.

Our destiny is tied to our destination. Where we have decided to go, we will get there.

Our destination is tied to our associations. Where we decide to go to, depends on the people we hang around, the books we read, the things that influence us.

Our destiny is tied to our graduation. We will be led to glory and divine destiny when we move from being spiritual babies and grow in the spirit to be more and more like Christ.

Rev. Paul was a lively and funny speaker. He had the congregation engrossed with his interesting antics and true life stories. Yet, I found him alittle disorganized that I fail to catch the entire message fully and totally.

Trinity was trying to push for more people to serve in the ministry. I believe like many others, I remain undecided. Don’t want to commit to something that I don’t feel for. Anyway, it’s a good church and people should take a look.

ICLV Website: www.iclv.com

1, 2, 3 …

Make a wish. I made a wish, or maybe more of a prayer, and it is a long wish, or maybe a string of wishes, but it’s 1 desire nonetheless.

What’s right at the moment can be wrong in the next. Yet, if we only live for the unpredictable tomorrow, then we will not live out a fulfilling and powerful life. Therefore, what’s right for the moment will be right and, I dare say, ‘perfect’ for the moment and the context. Be content.

There are many things in the world that we want. Mostly material gains and earthly possessions. These things we can buy with money or it’s equivalent. What keeps a person sane, happy and very human is not the acquiring of these ‘things’ but a satisfaction of human emotions, fulfilment of personal experience, and the joy of being human. These things we don’t buy. In fact, we have to give to obtain or experience them. We give our encouragement, we give our thoughts, we give our care and we give our love. Be human.

Life’s greatest challenges is usually ourselves/yourself/ownself. If we choose to compare with others, with what others have achieved or attained, we disfavour ourselves and put down our potential to be more than ourselves. We are all different people. We think, we do and we believe in very different ways. There is no greatest among everyone. For every No. 1 there is someone better. The comparison never ends. Just better yourself and constantly seek improvement. Be you.

People are not out to kill you. Neither are they out to take things from you. People are inherently nice (That’s my take, at least). So, be nice to them and usually they will be nice to you. It’s like a mirror. What goes around comes around. A smile will get you a smile. Be nice.

Many things in life actually work out right in the end if you are not so short sighted. Think about the future and see how certain steps, occasions, lessons learnt will apply in life. Things come and go to strengthen us. They nourish our experiences, they broaden our mindset. Let the world bring on new things, new experiences, new revelations. I shall take then as they come. Be open.

I thank the people in my life for making me who I am. My family, my friends, my teachers, my classmates, my surrounding, for inching me towards the right direction all the time. They never fail me (even though I might think so at certain points in time, it is not true). They are present and ready to be called upon for support, encouragement and inspiration. Be grateful.

I made a wish, or maybe more of a prayer, and it is a long wish, or maybe a string of wishes, but it’s 1 desire nonetheless.

Rather Annoying Monday

RAM!
That was the main cause of the problem. After running hardware diagnostics, both Apple’s as well as external intensive RAM tester (memtest) certified all hardware OK, I still had a problem with Tiger OS. I could not install the OS again after certain applications failed to run properly.

I tried to change back the original RAM and Tiger installed properly. Then I switched back the new RAM and Tiger refused to install (even though it appeared OK on the Tiger installation with the original RAM). Even had hardware test give it a clean bill of health.

I then tried different combinations of my RAM. 1 old RAM + 1 new RAM and this time Tiger still failed. So definitely 1 RAM was faulty. Tried the other combination and it installed. Took me hours to narrow into the faulty RAM and I’m glad the problem is solved.

Went to sim Lim to exchange the RAM and the sales person stood there and smirked while I explained to him my very lengthy story. He said: “You could have just installed twice to check, right?” I replied: “I didn’t know it was the RAM that was faulty at the beginning, so I had to actually check all possiblities and combination, what.”

Well, 6 hours later after I began installing Tiger, the OS is doing it’s final software update and it’s rather long cause of the extensive updates that is requried from installing from the CD.

One more problem which is my External HDD – it cannot be read, formatted or deleted. Hmm … might actually have a IO error or some fatal error with the HDD after all the abuse that I put it through trying to get data off it. Sighs! I’ll figure out what to do laters.

Now, after all the setup is done, I really need to get back to working on my HYP. My Prof said to me this afternoon: “Edwin, I think I need an update from you.”

I said: “Ok.” (But, not much to update as I am stuck at no where!)

WORK!

I declare a goodness upon me!

Enough with the @#$@#%.

I claim goodness, miracles, wonders and magic in my life!

Amen.

!!!

Cannot stand the problems with the computer, always got small things that stop working properly!

!good

To the non-programmers, an exclamation sign in front of a word (or an identifier/variable) negates the meaning of the value represented by that word.

Things not going so well this weekend. Yet, I am surprisingly calm about it. Sure, it ain’t all smiley or happy, a little down, but I’m surprised that I can be this calm and this little upset about everything.

Just to add to the tiring Sunday where I could not get my program sorted out yet (implementation is still an issue!) I found out that my Swatch watch has died. After braving the rain with me on my way to church, it was soaked in water and there was water running through it. It worked till 10 mins before 1 am and died. I was in a sick humour and I thought: “So much for braving the rain to go to church!”

Went with my dad for dinner with the AW people. Met some people who I have not met for like 4 over years. Things change, the environment changes, but people mostly stay the same.

It’s a new week this week. I’m glad for it. the past week was awfully long and strenous.

I declare that this next one shall be good!