Christmas Skit 2007

Kudos & congratulations to everyone of the production team. It was a great effort, & hopefully time will let us record everything VIDEO - that would be really cool.

Cell Potluck

Our cell group had a potluck gathering at my place last Friday. Our teenage members brought their friends over for food & games. Maybe it was awkward at first but later everyone was at ease. The "ha" & "what" game certainly broke the ice. I believe that our 21st Christmas party will be a greater success, now that our friends are familiar & comfortable with us.

And it was a really nice feeling for me, a 23-year-old. Somehow, in spite of the age gap (it's not that big), we could connect with one another. I didn't feel too old in their presence & they didn't feel too young or small to communicate with me. And in a small but significant way, that night comfirmed my ministry to the young people.

Joy of Christmas: Log 1

It feels like it's been a long time since TOUCH has attempted a skit. We're making a comeback this year, and I see that we're breaking new grounds. This time around Ken Chung is leading a team of 7 writers to produce a story of 3 friends, who seemed to have forgotten the true meaning & joy of Christmas. I'm helping out with the script, the videos & will oversee the practices, supporting Ken Chung in his first attempt at directing. May on other hand will be helping Jacklyn with props. But more significantly, she'll be assisting Rachel in creating a whole new element to our skit. It's exciting, nerve-wrecking & worrying at the same time, but we believe it's a risk worth taking.

Most of the script has been concluded (just a few hours ago), and tomorrow we'll be having our first practice. It'll be interesting to work with the 3 main character, all of whom will be performing a lead role for the very first time. Can't wait.

My Christmas Highlights

1. Having Dorcas & Deborah over for Christmas Sunday. Throughout the years I'm happy to form a bond with the 2 sisters. I don't know how much hassle the family has to go through taking care of them. The only problem I have in the short moments I have with them is that they're quite heavy despite of their size.

2. Deciding against staying at home & work on the movie, I had a good time ushering in Christmas with May and my big bunch of friends. This picture was taken at the rooftop of the Looi's residence. We were trying hard to fart and the bench was about to break.

3. Going to the Scully's for lunch. It's a must to eat Aunty Belle's cooking!! It was a simple meal but it was awesome!! Took a short clip of Sonia but somehow the footage was overwritten... Sad. so no picture here of the lovely Sonia Dawn Scully.

4. My family was extremely gung-ho that day... After such a filling meal at the Scully's and visiting 2 more houses, we went to the Young's for steamboat at 6pm!! Didn't take a lot there lah... But it was nice to be able to be with more people that day.

5. The picture you see above is the aftermath of the dinner at Joseph's place. Joe is enjoying his vodka + sparkling juice, Caleb is high on 100 plus, & Jason... is switching between drinking vodka + sparking juice & making sound with the bottle. Joseph was actually the first person to send an invitation on Christmas Day. My parents were too tired by then, so just May and I went.

The environment was so much different compared to the other Christmas parties I've been to. It was rather quiet. Apart from the Teng family, there was Jason, Caleb, May and myself. And it was so much fun. We could actually hear each other speak!! Aunty Jessie is always generous & the dining table was full of good stuff. There were several different kinds of cakes, as well as the Teng family pasta... hehe.

Why Christmas Isn't That Merry

Christmas isn't that fun for me, really. It's a holiday for most people, but for the past few years Christmas has meant more work for me. Church events, performances, scripts, plays, carolling, visitations... It used to be easier when I was still studying. But now things are different. I've changed too. I find it odd that we Christians work so hard during the Christmas season... we start calling friends that we've never spoken to for ages. It's like all of a sudden we're so concerned for them. It's really good, but it's only once a year. Supposedly this is the best time of the year for people to experience the love of our God, but instead what we give is just Christmas songs & presents, warmer handshakes & sweeter smiles...

Love must be continually expressed.

Apart from the movie I'm working on, I'm basically off the hook this year. And I wasn't suppose to be involved in the script in the first place. It's an interesting experience, really. To just sit back & relax... there were like 3 or 4 plays done by our church this time around, seems like everyone's getting the bug. Haha... and they were really good, & all without me getting invovled. Next year I don't want to be involved with any Christmas duties... just want to enjoy the season & visit friends...

My best friend met an accident on Christmas Eve & passed away on Christmas morning. I was only 16 years old, and she was a year older than I was. It was devastating. Christmas has never been the same again. She's the main reason I've not taken up driving. I fear the responsibility. Seriously. It's been 6 years now, and I know it's time to put this fear behind.

It's Time To Fly

In the VisionCast Service last Sunday, I taught about Galations 5:6 which says that "For in Christ Jesus, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion has any value; what mattes is something far more interior - faith expressing itself in love". Easter Sunday reminded us of the implications of the blood of Jesus - the redemptive power of it all. We are no longer bound by law or religion or traditions. Salvation is assured. So 2 questions are left now, and I challenged the youth, myself included.

What is your faith? Do you know what you believe in? Are you sure of what you believe in? Millions of people since the early church has died and suffered under persecution of the faith. Many more have dedicated their entire lives to tell others of that same faith. Do you know what you believe? Do you know God?

What is love? How would you define love? How do you show love? Is it giving your best, your all? What then is your best, your all? There's no one else that can decide that but ourselves; it's between God and each individual - the how, what, and how much. So often I hear young people talking about how busy their lives are, and how they wish they can do this or do that. It's time to stop the wishing and start the walking!!

I reminded them about the commissioning of Peter. Peter just denied Christ a few days before Jesus asked him that important question- "Do you love Me?". That was Jesus' only concern, really. It was the only requirement for Jesus to trust Peter with that great commission and duty. The answer to that question would determine our direction and our course of action, which is far more important then our current state of being.

And maybe you can hear Jesus asking you that today. If it helps you, then imagine so... It's Time To Fly.

To watch the video:

1. Click on the "play" button.

2. Click on the "pause" button.

3. Wait till the the grey line is full, indicating that the loading process is complete. In the mean time, go and read an email or something.

4. Click on the "play" icon again and enjoy.

It's that feeling again.

My spirit was really troubled this past Sunday. I couldn't understand why at first. I mean, I do know why I was feeling a bit upset that Sunday. Things happening around didn't really please my eye. But there was this feeling inside my spirit that I couldn't figure the cause for...

 

I completed the usual tasks of mine and headed to the corner of the santruary, where youth service will commence soon. My spirit was still troubled, so I became quiet before God. Stopped trying to figure why I was sensing such sorrow, just let the Spirit do the talking. It didn't take long before I came to a realisation - So much has not changed...

 

So much hasn't changed, and most of it has to do with me. God has done so much to assist me along the way, but somehow I have not experience the breakthrough, the personal revival I need. Not enough discipline, not enough passion, not enough initiative, not enough love... I have not done my part to the best of my ability. I let myself down, I let the people God has placed in my life down, I let the Dream-Giver down. I keep blaming and pointing fingers for how things are now, but I forget that I am also responsible in building the Kingdom.

 

Yes, things need to be changed. And that change has to start with me. I remember saying that before... I'm the biggest hypocrite I know. So help me God. Thank God for grace.

My Dream

It's my birthday today - 21 years old. My supervisor couldn't believe it and suggested that I get a plastic surgery. He said I look older than my age, and I don't blame him. When I was 18, a church member thought I was 24. But it doesn't really matter, I know who I am.

My brother, who is now in Australia studying song-writing and theology, asked the right question. He asked me 'how does it feel being a 21-year old?'... It feels like it's way past to make an impact here on earth. It feels like I'm living on borrowed time, solely on grace alone... There's a mission that has to be accomplished, there's a dream that must be fulfilled, there's a hope that must be passed on, there's a script to be completed, there's a story that needs an ending, there's more love to give...

But as I say to my youth group, the Dream-Giver isn't interested in what we do or accomplish - that's how the world measures your worth. Yes, the world judges facts. They look at your certificates, at your trophies, at your bank account, your accomplishments and failures... What He really wants is YOU. And so He looks into your heart. The Dream-giver, in my opinion, dreams not to have things done, but that His creation fulfills their purpose, their function.

So really, this is my dream - to fulfill the Dream-giver's dream - to be all He has destined me to be from the very beginning. And so as I continue to write a script about knowing the Father's love, I allow Him to be the mastermind of it all.

There's this feeling

The Sunday before last's Jacklyn and I led worship for our church service. After the service there was a worship team meeting, and we received many good feedback. It was funny, though... As they were talking I was reflecting upon what we did on stage that morning. Was it that good? Did it require that much skill? Were we that good? Because I wasn't leading worship that morning, I was being led...

A prophet once told me that God is wiling to shine His glory upon me because He knows that I won't take credit for it, and that I'll reflect all the praises back to Him... Looking back, I feel that God was dealing with me the same way He dealt with Gideon. You know, the way God called a coward a mighty man of valor... I don't know how far I have run with this God-given dream of mine, I could be a million miles away from fulfilling His calling upon my life. But His favour, His trust towards me, His love, His presence, His grace - all so ever close...

Looking forward, I'll be worship leading again on the first Sunday of October. And there's this feeling... A fear. Not a fear of others expectation, though. It's the feeling of confusion, of what-shall-I-do-next... It's as though as I have reached the end of myself... I can't do it anymore. I can't lead the people - not to where they were on that Sunday morning. And I think of it as a blessing...

Matthew 5:3 "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule." (The Message)

Can a nation be changed?

"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land".

"But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. And though this temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and say, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.' "

The passage above, taken from 2 Chronicles 7, speaks something every loud, every clear to me...

The fate of the nation is in the hands of the saints.

Yes, that's right. The way that we live has an immediate effect on what happens to our nation. I see the evil of this world and how governments go about controlling and solving the problems caused... You know them, so I don't need to mention them. And we also know that the root problem really is the human heart. No government, no law, no amount of counselling can change the evil in our hearts. So what can we do about it?

Well, it's simple really. Humble yourself, pray, seek God, turn from our wicked ways. Then the Faithful One will forgive our sins and heal our nation. Not the sins of the criminals, your non-Christian parents... no. We need to humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways. That means we stop pointing fingers and blaming others, because the way I live has an immediate effect on the crime rate of this country, the sorrow and emptiness my friends have deep within them, the divorce rate... Yes!! I need God to change my heart, not someone else's!! Do you see it?! When I turn from evil, He turns and listen to our cries to HEALING FOR THIS NATION.

Want to change a nation? Change your heart.