Sunday, December 28, 2008

Recollect 2008 - Some Thanksgiving!

2008 is an interesting year for me....if I would put it, its eventful, painful, shift of paradigm, changes of priority in life and of course a year that I am most grateful and thankful for to God.

Career wise, its be Topsy Turfy and to be honest, I have myself to be blamed as I have been stiff-necked with my decisions and of course my aggressive Type-A personality got the better of me an with ego as the fire starter, I totally blew it. Thank God He slowed me down and help me to recollect, humble my pride, change my perspective of thinking while I took a time off in Sabah, East Malaysia at my aunt's place.

What was interesting was that I was there when the US Economy hits the credit crunch and best of all I witness the fall of Insurance Giant, AIA. That all happen when I was in the midst of securing an overseas position based in China. But it did not worked out and so I have to look for alternative and I was not very happy about the whole situation because I was tired of working in Singapore and working for the same type of people.

Anyway, the very day before I flew back to Singapore, a close friend who drove me to the airport share with me about Contentment and it is really an eye opener for me as I was chasing after material gain relentlessly and that insecurity of not having that almost killed me spiritually. And before I flew back to Singapore, just at the airport, my aunt just shared with me that God has a reason and a plan to send me back to Singapore and I should just go back and be focus on settling back into Singapore. Which I did of course.

Race wise, let me see....hmmm....I had raced much lesser this year and in fact I only took part in one race and that is Sabah Adventure Challenge and worse still I DNF the race. But I was just happy to be able to have a feel of the race and understand the passion behind the race. Well, I know I will be back racing hard for the next few years probably in Triathlons and Ultramarathons. As such, this year is just a hiatus for me.



Thanksgiving

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

For all these years, the verse above seems to be just a knowledge based idea to me on how I should conduct myself but now as I look through this year I realised that in everything I do I would not count my glory and will not fit my pride for all the good things that had happen. I would rather Thank Him who is my creator and not be ashamed to say that Glory to Him for He makes all good things and bad things happens.

This year especially meaningful as I have discovered the importants of contentment in my life. He has show me the true importance of a complete life and now to me, my love ones means more than anything in my life and He has blessed me with that and given me a relationship with someone that I have longed for all these years and because He told me to be patient all these while, I have just do so and with the right time He has revealed to me. My aunt was right that something big is coming and this year...it's here and I found someone whom I can love her with my heart and soul.

I have found the heart of thanksgiving and praise and even in bad times, I have learned to praise Him.

With that, I would say that this year would be a year that is summed up with this song:



It Is Well

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Casting Crown - If we are the Body.

It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

CHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances
Are better out on the road

CHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the Body of Christ

Chorus (2x)
If we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus is the way

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

In the Bleak Midwinter

Most of us know Christmas as a time of gifts and a time of partying....but how many of us actually know the true meaning CHRISTmas? This is the true meaning.

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”- Luke 2:16-20

CHRISTmas is a time of remembering the birth of Christ Jesus and He is called Emmanuel. It is a season of sharing the Good News! And this song is one song that I love to sing during Christmas.

In The Bleak Midwinter

1. In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

2. Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

3. Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

4. Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother1
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

5. What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Marathon



Well, it is really interesting to be a bystander and an onlooker at the Marathon. What is most interesting is to wake up like a typical marathon ride your mountain bike down to race site and zip around the race route just to support your love ones.



Well, I did and to be honest its really an experience. I am loving it but of course what would be most fulfilling is to start and finish the race together with your love one. Well, that will be my next years goal.



For now, I would just like to say this. Chris, I am so proud of you. We will run the race together next year.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Trail Work!


Left over Signboard from
The North Face 100



It has been a while since someone actually talk about Mandai Track 15 and Zhenghua Park or should I say, I haven't hear anyone really talk about it. Well, I went for a Post - TNF100 ride in the area after about 1 month. Well, there are still some nice remembrance of the event. But most of all, I realised that I am the only solo guy that rode that area.


Post-Ride Condition

So it has been a really nice feeling of non-restricted pace. The ride took me to the end of the Mandai Track 15 trail and then decided to make a U-Turn and head back to Bukit Panjang Zhenghua Park. Its a really interesting experience as I have not been doing solo ride for a while but the feeling is a good one. Sort of a nostalgia.