Just yesterday,I was exchanging smses with Denise about Christian Singspiration, or loosely put, worship.

It was on the basis of encouraging people to sing out their hearts and not to be discouraged if they are not as good as others or they are just.. out of tune.

When i was younger(Early teens), my officer(Mr Seow), always emphasize not to name our Singspiration session as 'Worship' and i soon learn why when i finally entered Poly.

The theme during then was 'What is worship' ?
On further investigation, the conclusion, was that worship is a lifestyle.
Everything we do, to the obedience of God, is worship.
Saying that, in the engineering sense, Singspiration is a subset of worship where we declare his goodness and grace.

Below is an illustration:

Whereby, we have many other ways of worshipping of which some examples:

Disclaimer:Smaller circles doesn't mean it is less important or whatsoever. Also what is illustrated is not comprehensive and is just to give a slight idea what other things are also considered as worship. There are plenty more other things you can do that is worship.

Which daunts upon me that it may be necessary to see Singspiration as that and not think that we are worshipping just because we sing songs. Just like how going to church every sunday is going to make you a Christian like going to the Car Repair shop will make you a Car mechanic automatically.

Yet, however, in everything we do in Worship, the heart and the mind is as important as the action. As the bible records that God looks at the heart and i will readily assume with great confidence that we will be judge not just by our actions but also by our hearts too. Look at the past records in the bible where people give their offerings through sacrifices, God sees the person's heart on whether the sacrifice is favourable or not. It is a mockery that we give him our second best.

In saying this, i am going to take a daring step to come to a conclusion:
I feel that when we sing and declare how good the Lord is, we are to lose ourselves and sing as loud and as best as we can. In doing so, when people around hears it, and out of christian love(if the person is really quite a bad singer) or out of good unity(Of nice flowing voices); people will be encouraged to sing and unify their voices as a good offering to our God. Listen to the children sing, how beautiful it is. Even then, it is not us to judge whether our singing is a worthy or pleasing offering to God. It is for God to judge that on the basis of the capacity he has given to each and every one of us. *Remember the parable of the widow's offering? she was judged to have given much more than the rich man*

So now, i ask of everyone who is reading this or has this idea to put it into execution and just lose yourself in declaring God's goodness and grace(We can't declare enough) and sing out your soul to encourage one another(And not to overpower the congregation). If it is in the correct context and culture, dance like how David danced before the Lord(Don't ask me if he did an Elvis or whatsoever.. let the Holy Spirit speak to you for that) and declare his glory. It would not end up with a good feeling all the time, but there is no where in the bible to record that it does.. because remember, we sing not because it is all about us, we sing because it is all about God.

Who do you sing for?
Why do you sing for?
How are you singing?

I can't help but to sing this in my heart.
Especially when i look out to the sky and to how nature smiles at me. I know he is there.

I will be flying off later to another country.

Can't help but have mixed feelings from this trip.

Exciting, yet it does feel like i am leaving quite a bit of my self behind.

Am not sure whether i should hope for time to quicken so i can be back or to let just enjoy the trip.

Not sure whether i can find the time to find myself during the trip.

So.. What are you investing in?

It does seem like my body has broken down.

Usually, i should be up and recovered in 3 days.

It has been more than 4 and my left ear is still blocked, i am still phlegmy and i don't feel strong at all.

Being sick sucks. Staying at home sucks.

It is rather depressing and i just seem like i don't want to do anything anymore.

This. Sucks.

Another Christmas; another end of the year.
2010 is coming to an end; so is my 25th year in this world.
There are so much to think and so much to do.
It feels like life is so suffocating and that time have been prolonged and my life has aged quite a bit this year. 

Average life expectancy in Singapore is 80, which is 29,200 days.
Of which, i have already spent 25 years, which leaves me with 17,045 days.
Taking away 1/3 of the time for sleep, i've got only 11,383 days left.
As Poignant as it sounds, death seems to get more and more real in my life.
Are we prepared?

So what have i learned in 2011?

15 things i learned from 2011.

1. Being OC of a BB company is no easy task.
Sometimes, it is really lonely.
Sometimes it is very discouraging.
Especially when you see your friends around you using the spare time to progress themselves in their career and whatever dream they have, while i've got to put in my effort for something i am not paid for(Or even have to spend money) and sometimes the boys just don't learn or listen. Sometimes to hit requirements to justify our existence to the governing body at the expense of rest and quality time.

So why continue?
Because i know God wants me to.
Because i know we all(The officers and primers) love our boys.
Because i want to believe in our officers, primers and boys. 

2. Building a home in Singapore is really expensive.
It takes $420,000 to buy a 4 room HDB flat.(Public housing)
The average income of a person is $3,000/month
of that, the average savings is $1,000/month
You need 420 months, thats more than 30 years of savings. [it is mind-blowing already.]
We haven't added in the wedding cost, the children cost, the renovation, the stamp tax, the lawyer fee, etc etc.

3. Budgetting is important.
Why? Based on point 2.

4. Leadership is influence.

5. Business Trips alone aren't all that fun
(Even though everything is paid for you) 

6. Social skills and language is important in life.
Though you may have the highest IQ, you need your social skills to make it successful.
Such skills can move the world.
Such skills can unlock many paths for you. 

7. At 26, i am still young in the corporate world. However, Time waits for no one. Take the opportunity when it comes.

8. There are a lot of lazy and stupid people out there.

9. Succession planning is very important.

10. Sometimes, one person working is not enough. Be humble and ask for help.

11. Life is hard on everyone.

12. Music is very powerful.

13. Rest is extremely important

14. All is lost, if you lose focus of God.

15. Listen and act fast. 

Merry Christmas!

"This is the essence of relativism: no one standard of true and false, right and wrong, good and bad, or beautiful and ugly, can preempt any other standard. No standard is valid for everyone." - John Piper (Think)

Relativism, is a very dangerous thing.

I've been talking to some friends and i could not help but to compare my current state to them. The job they are holding, the pay they are drawing, the countries they are going to, the lifestyle they have, etc etc. I wouldn't think of those people who have talked to me about how bad their work hours are and how bad the management can be on them. It gets so bad that i would be discouraged and fall into a bit of self pity so much so that it makes me wonder sometimes whether if i am making the right decisions, listening to the correct advice, trusting God and believing that this is all it is for me.

It is so easy to say that I want to trust the Lord and the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I am constantly reminded of people that has it much tougher than me and also reminded that more than 60% of the world is dreaming of this life i am living. If we relate my standing to the world, it sure puts me well in the rich category. Life, is really that tough? Should we really expect so much more than a roof over our head, a table, a bowl of rice and a cup of water? What then is safe? John Wesley was proud to own only a spoon at the end of life. How do we make of all that?

I have no ready answer right now since i am also still in the pudding proofing process(experiencing). But the trustworthy saying is this, God has given you what you have and you are to be a steward to do the best in investing it the way God would wants you to. I wouldn't know whether this is a lazy way of saying and simplifying things but i would trust in the Lord that he still has the most awesome plans for me and i shouldn't be greedy. If i tried my best and it comes to pass, let it be. If it doesn't, let it be too. 

At the end, God will also judge us by the fruit of the Spirit not the money and prestige that we bring to him.

At the end, there is no point about worrying about it when you can not do anything about it. There is no profit it it.

Finally, At the end, life is not about hoarding but about living.