oh happy day!

I don't usually go around looking for miracles so when it happened right before my very eyes, I can only praise God for his grace and faithfulness. This past Easter weekend was the most special one in my entire Christian life of... 19 years (!).

So....... my sister was baptized. Like, wow.

It happened on a perfect day. The skies was amazingly blue, the sun was beaming proudly, the ocean breeze... hmm, I don't remember it but I'm sure there was some.

We got to the beach at East Coast Park by 9:45am to join 40 other excited and smiling baptism candidates who were already there with family, friends, cell members, everyone who's come to celebrate this momentous occasion. My sister's bff Jane and her sister Glory and mom were also there, together with their cell leader (I can't rber his name) and a few other cell members. I'm so happy they all came to lend support and cheer her on.

Service started with a brief recitation of their commitment to the faith, and then we broke into songs of praise. After that, the candidates were divided into five groups (Sis was in Group 2) to go into the water. Five pairs of youth prayed over each candidate in every group right before their turn to go in to two church leaders who were ready and waiting to baptize each candidate in the of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

So I witness as the waves gently crashed onto her feet as she tread surefootedly into the sea, and affirmed her decision and committed her life unto God, and as she went under and emerged a new creation. It is always an amazing ceremony to witness, but it's all the more spectacular to see my own sister going through with it. :)



Dearest sis, your life in Christ has begun. It's the most wonderful journey you'll ever traverse, but it will be so tough you'll constantly wonder if it's worth it. You will see things in new light for God has set eternity in your heart. You will experience heartbreaks and desolation. You will enjoy abundance of blessings in His presence, you will cry bitter tears in the same court. You will find your identity and worth and confidence in Christ, and others will besmirch the very same treasure you've found. You will experience high highs and you crawl in low lows. You will have words of praise flowing from your mouth and you'll ask unending questions in sheer frustration and you will curse in despair. You'll taste sweet victory and you will fail time and again. But just remember that through it ALL, Jesus is with with you, his spirit will not depart from you, you will never be alone. You will have Him in the best moments of your life, and You will have him to cling on to in your worst. I'm beyond happy that we are in this race together, and I pray that it's one where you'll finish in victory and we'll be joined by our loved ones. Xoxo - big sis. 

You call me out upon the waters, the great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery, in oceans deep, my faith will stand
And I will call upon Your name and keep my eyes above the waves when oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace, for I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters, Your sovereign hand will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me, You've never failed and You won't start now
And I will call upon Your name and keep my eyes above the waves when oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace, for I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior

Hillsong United :: Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

waiting.

Some silence can be unnerving, unbearable, filled with nervous uncertainties, unspoken bleakness, and other un's. Well, that Saturday was laden with such. That twenty four hours saw them moping and groping around in the dark places of their minds, running away from the million pursuing thoughts and questions, occasionally slapping themselves to see if they were still in some sort of stupor. 

What. on. earth. just happened? Have I been duped? A good three years! What do I do now? Where do I go? It was all too fast! Those people, weren't they just cheering us and fanning us with palm leaves not a week ago? I blinked and they were screaming bloody murder! Have they forgotten every miracle they witnessed with their own eyes? Have they forgotten about the bread and the fish that laced their hungry stomachs? Did they think they were dreaming? So what was that all about? And what about all those things the master has said, about victory and the kingdom? Did he fail? What he even for real? Or was it just me being gullible? Was he just making empty promises and creating false hopes? What did he say again? But when he spoke, there was such authority! The wind and the waves that seemed to obey him at his will - those couldn't have been a fluke! Oh how could I be such a fool? Am I? Again, what on earth just happened? 

I love happy endings and happy to say that this story has one. That Saturday didn't go on forever (although it seemed like the day would never end). The next day had in store for them something so unexpected (well, it could have been otherwise if they had paid more attention but who could have?) that it changed the course of their lives and mankind as it was and would be known forever.

But for now, darkness.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.

---

There's just something about today. I wrote about it last year too: A New Dawn

I am but a sinner saved by grace.

My Redeemer lives!

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8 NIV)

For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:10, 11 NIV)

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:6-11 NIV)

Blessed Easter!

A new dawn

This morning, the disciples wake up to a beautiful dawn wondering if the past three years of their lives has been a dream. Fresh in their minds too is the man who was hung on the cross yesterday, the one who got them leaving everything they had and were doing to follow him, one who has spoken with authority of God and his kingdom, who has stilled storms and mingled a little too liberally with the outcast, but overnight he's gone. What was that all about?

Hope has left, grace has yet to come. This is a dark, confusing time. Maybe it's easier to pretend that it didn't happen.

Let's go fishing, says one of them.

Come, Lord Jesus.

He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 
[Revelation 22:20]

Soon
Brooke Fraser, 2009

Soon and very soon
My King is coming
Robed in righteousness and crowned with love
When I see Him I shall be made like Him
Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon
I'll be going to the place he has prepared for me
There my sin erased, My shame forgotten
Soon and very soon

I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I'll see Him
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon
See the procession
The angels and the elders 'round the throne
At His feet I'll lay my crowns, my worship
Soon and very soon

Though I have not seen Him
My heart knows Him well
Jesus Christ the Lamb
The Lord of heaven

:)

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-40 (NIV)

He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane,
I am a tree, bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy
when all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
and I realise just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me

david crowder band :: how he loves

the post with not one, not two, not three, not five, not six, not seven, but FOUR youtube vids! whee!

on the easter weekend
i had a good friday. lol. sent out a chat meme asking what was everyone's thought about easter. got interesting answers ranging from "been busy - never really thought abt it" to some pretty lengthy discourses. mine? when i can get down to writing it, i'll post it up on the other blog k. ;)

was went to church for prayer meeting - enjoyed the sharing and praying together. it was a quiet, contemplative evening as i had expected, so i was glad!

Sat was a full day for me - was up by 545am - was invigilating an exam over at UM so i had to get to IBBM office by 7. when that --

which included a crazy morning as candidates left the first session by the swarms and a misconduct case - sigh -- why does it always happen on my watch!

-- was over, made my team pack in record time (without missing out on anything of course ;) so that we could hurry back to the office to deliver the exam material. barely had time to catch up with my ex-colls as i had to rush back to church for performance practice --

did this song with boy weiwen and it was very well received! ^^ *pats selves on back* we had only 2 practice sessions prior due to our tight schedules, but because we are big RK fans, they went smooth ler. happyness! not that i was looking for approval ahem, but the many "well done! we love the song!" that we got aft the service made it very worthwhile. girl weiwern (see why the gender distinction has to be made? :) thought that we sounded very well together. this was the 2nd time i sang with him, after christmas' how many kings performance - works out to be a charm. i wish ppl are more like u, b_ww!

relient k :: getting into you
(yeah i've posted this before :)

-- and music practice. it was combined service for easter, so i had to lead bilingually. but i can't. hahaha... thank God for singers who could! :) i really enjoyed practice - i think jive is quite an awesome drummer. hehe.. both the soo bros have very good work ethics. good job, auntie susin! :P

where was i. um. nvm. we'd a guest speaker - ps kevin gan - cos my pastor was not feeling well. for the life of me, i don't rber what he preached about. haha.. he was expounding on the story of the prodigal son, how the church is like the older brother. "all that i have is yours"

after service we'd lunch at church, mingled around a little bit. but still not enough. there was this guy whom i've not spoken to despite him having been in our church for what, 2 years? bee said she'd intro us, but i was suddenly reluctant. sigh. told her next time la. it's so weird kan. well, he's the rest of the YAs to talk to, so it was OK la.

after service, i was heading home when g_ww texted to ask if i wanna study. NO-I WANT TO SLEEP! but i did. haha.. we hung out at the lovely Societea, a cosy tea place, with her reading for CFA and me for my nite class exam. i was a little dizzy earlier but it soon developed into a splitting headache the size of the grand canyon. when i got home, i was so close to tears but i couldn't cry cos i was too tired. wah - srsly thought i would die from that. but i woke up this morn -- after an superb 12 hour sleep -- still on earth and headache gone. whee! ;)


bloooooo skyes
i love this new vid by owl city. i wouldn't be surprised if skies somewhere are actually like that. this is silly but i could cry if i stood under one of those. ;)

owl city :: vanilla twilight

copeland
they is coming to kayell. i wonder if i should go, since i will be missing out on West Side Story anyways on account of cost. :( booohooo.. it's definitely a cheaper form of entertainment plus i haven't been to a concert since '08.. but i only know a couple of their songs. tak syiok oso. see how la. :)


zune
i've asked a friend who went back to US to help me send my zune to the service centre and see if it was fixable. but my zune never made it louisiana - someone stole it from his luggage during an interstate flight. UNITED AIRLINES - you suck! but we know that already.

check out this is a vid made by a Canadian band who had a terrible experience flying united airlines - the airline workers broke their $3.5k guitar and the airline refused to compensate so they made this vid to get its attention - and it worked! (read the story here) maybe i should do the same.. konon-nya. :P

dave carroll band :: united breaks guitar

on being overtly opinionated
there are just some people who because they think they are right, also think that they MUST shove down their opinions down others' throats. everyone is entitled to their opinion fine, but why do you have to remove all doubts that you are an intelligent life form incapable of even the basic level of intra-species communication when you open your mouth? and when i mimic you, please, it wasn't meant to flatter. i just want to point out how ridiculously obnoxious you are. pfffbt!

mm i'm ranty today. wad's going on?


*BREATHES*

anyways, here' stg awesome to end the post. i don't care much for the song, but the 4-min rube goldberg contraption is just awesome. someone asked if OK Go are a bunch of geeks who happen to be rock stars or are they rock stars who moonlight as geeks. hehe.. 'tis just amayyyzing!

ok go :: this too shall pass