"Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what's left and live it properly. What doesn't transmit light creates its own darkness." - Marcus Aurelis.

I think he's an Roman emperor who's also a philosopher.

"Singles" is a new collection of songs from U2 one of my favourite bands since I was a teenager. Can't believe the Singapore Pressed Edition is only $11.90

"Madam Butterfly" is one of my favourite double CD by Puccini, conducted by Sir John Barbirolli.

Though I enjoyed listening to U2 again after so many years, no matter how hard I try, I find myself always reaching out to that Butterfly CD of late. In other words I prefer "OPERA!". It's not depressing or sad, its just adapting to social, emotional and biological changes. At least I know I'm moving on.

Life is a journey everyone has to make. Some tolerate it, some adapt to it, some are active travellers, some pretty laid back. Some know where they are going, many wander as if its not important.

Whatever it is its only one journey. If we see with faith, listen with our hearts and response according along each part of the journey, we'll enjoy the promise of what abundant life is, otherwise if we are hoping that the destination is to be reached before we are satisfied, then that dream destination may never come. Whatever comes our way in our journey, face it with courage, get the most out of it. Play hard, pray hard, work hard, do everything hard for we do not know what tomorrow will bring.

For now, its Opera for me and I don't know what tomorrow brings. I hope elderly men don't form boy bands which I may enjoy one day..but that's too far to think about.

I received a complain from my auntie's friend that May Ann shared Christ with her granddaughter when they were having dinner together at a family gathering. I don't know how to address the situation. I mean isn't it natural that when one knows something that one will do something about it. And when there's action, there's outcome. It is unfortunate that the outcome appears to be the complain when it is really that a little girl knows a little bit more about God.

We "Know" who God is and what He's about. We "Do" what He expects us to do and we'll "See" the outcome of our actions. That's what it is in a God empowered life. It is key for fulfilment and successful partnership with God.

However, we lived in a time where experience is so highly rated that we want to "See" first, then "Know" and after being convinced, "Do". Most of the time, it never reaches the "Doing" part because people are generally hard to convince. So everyone just basically sit back and watch. They See-NO-Do!

Don't be part of the 'watching' society. Know and Do, then we'll See. Miracles happen when we invest in doing what we know.

Was away to help organise a big wedding dinner for my second brother in Kuala Lumpur. Liang and my new sister in law Danika flew in from Brisbane for the occasion. I was one of the Emcees. My co-MC is an experienced host. With 30 more years with her, the experience was truly precious thought was nerve wrecking before 300 over predominantly chinese speaking guests. The event was also a mini music festival which my dad led with his singing buddies. All these truly made it one of the most vibrant wedding dinners I was ever associated with.

Six days in Kuala Lumpur was quite interesting. Busy time it was.. meeting people, negotiating with hotel banquet and arguing over programming. Fruitful it was too .. that I managed to catch up with God and with myself each morning of the days I was away. It was to be my resolution in 2007 to start my day with the Lord, but my "Morning Club at 5" has started near the end of 2006. Here's what I've recorded happened in those mornings.

11 December 2006 Monday: Singapore 5am
Read God's word and prayed. Went for a job (a walk rather) at 6.00am. Not used to waking up so early so was tremendously tired by 8 or 9 that even coffee won't help.

12 December 2006 Tuesday: Singapore 6am
Work up at 6am. Missed the alarm clock altogether. Did Silence, contemplative prayer and reading of the psalm before waking everyone up for the 5 hours trip to KL.

13 December 2006 Wednesday: KL 5am
In KL, another successful Morning Club. Did Silence, contemplative prayer and meditation on Psalms 27, The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear. The Lord is the strength of my life, whom shall I be afraid.

14 December 2006 Thursday 4:30am
Not quite what I wanted to do to wake up at 4:30 to watch football til 6.00am. Anyway did my silence, contemplative prayer, journaling and prayer. Well it was a rush to do those things at six but I caught up.

15 December 2006 Friday 5:00am
Woke up on the dot without an alarm clock. It was another wonderful time with Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. Also prayed through my prayer list.

16 December 2006 Saturday 4:00amWoke up at 4.00 but it was too early so I went back to sleep only to find myself waking up at 6am for my time of contemplation and prayer. I prayed the Psalm which says “I will sing of His mercies forever, I will speak of his faithfulness to all the generations.

17 December 2006 Sunday 5:00am
Woke up at 5.00 again without the alarm. Did everything including preparing for the wedding. Completed the time by praying through my prayer list.

18 December 2006 Monday 6:00am
Woke up late because West Ham beat Manchester United the night before and I stayed up after the wedding to witness my waste of time. Woke up and went for breakfast with Mag. It was good time until we argued over something which made it even better (though it was sad when it happened).

Anyway over the few days I was away, the mornings have been good even though slightly inconsistent. However I'm moving closer to learning what works for me. It was tremendous time and I'm grateful to have had it.

Visited VIVO City after a field visitation with Mag yesterday. The place is HUGE. It's okay as its our first time there and as long as things are interesting and shops are in continuous stretch. Even so, its still a challenge. The big problem comes when we need to go to the toilet and that walk to the far end seemed like miles compared to constraint malls like the one we have in Tampines. There's nothing to see or do along those long corridors and when its really urgent, you wonder.

Now I know why Singapore is fast becoming a healthy nation. I read that the number of registered runners in the Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon has increased many folds through the years. Shopping in this country isn't becoming easier so why should the people be less fit. Without good fitness, I wonder if its ever going to be possible to shop in future malls and do one of Singaporean favourite pastime. When the city continues to reinvents itself, we should also continue to take care of our health. If not for shopping sake, for the sake of being the Lord's vessel that is effective and relevant.

I lost my digital camera. If not I'll post a picture of a fit Mag in her running attire. She's been running regularly ever since my advice to sharpen her saw. She used to complain of tiredness. Me?... now that's a different story for another post sometime.

A cable hooks the CD player to the pre-amplifier. Another one from the pre-amplifier to my new Acoustant TNT-200 power amplifier. Then I have 2 coming out of the poweramp. One to the 'treble' or hi frequency section of the speakers and another to the low frequency.

When I played a CD, I wasn't impressed, it didn't meet my expectation, a lot of qualities were missing. For days I wondered what was wrong. Then I decided to swap the cables that connected to the low and high section of the speakers and the sound came alive. There were a lot more treble and bass. However the midrange was compromised, Van Morrison's voice seems to be pushed right back. Finally I swapped the cable from my tuner with the cable to the cd player and I got the most amazing sound ever heard coming out of my system. And the sound from the tuner wasn't much compromised either.

Swapping the cables around in the system helps bring out the best with whatever I've got. If I'm rich beyond comprehension, I would have just bought new expensive cables and dumped the old ones. But with what I have, I tweaked and made the most of it.

Don't make people feel unneeded and useless, just because we haven't found the best fit for them in our community. It's worth getting to know them and finding what makes them tick and what sinks their ship so that we can better position them towards service. In God's community we can replace the weak, we can only help them find their niche so that they will fulfil their life calling.