Going to Greymouth tomorrow

We're taking the famed Tranzalpine train route from Christchurch to Greymouth tomorrow and returning day after. This should be fun.

classic

http://images3.photomania.com/361838/1/rad7D8D0.gif

update end of june 2010

Been pretty busy lately.
Good times. Not easy, yes. But whatever.

Singing As I Went Down In The River To Pray by Alison Krauss with Miss Kirner this morning service. The Master Duo! hahaha. That song is pretty tricky. But Tania Kurbatoff (yes, who moved to Wellington to join the Parliament and now is involved in art, fashion and politics haha crazy) will be doing a contemporary ballet dance while we sing it. Nice.

Which reminds me, I watched Carmen by the Royal Ballet Of New Zealand. So amazing! Its got no dialogues, no singing, complete dance and ballet moves conveying a story. And its pretty intense. There's a sex scene (probably the highlight of the whole thing as important as the tragic scene in the end) which was really 'tastefully done' (quoting Julian Hay, apparently haha).

One wonders what people can not do when you watch things like that. There was a live symphony playing throughout the whole thing too.

Well, we just had SOURCE fashion experience. Classic. Did a song with Nathan Phillips (I just feel like using full names of people for some reason tonight) by Maroon5 Sunday Morning. I guess we did pretty well though I forgot some lines (my mind went complete blank). But for the first time in my life I pulled of a popping dance move. hahaha classic. That tension probably made me forget my lines in the song.

Ah well. Long day tomorrow of SALT, practising the As I Went Down song and chilling. Nice.

about the All Whites

"Every World Cup needs underdogs, and there is none more appealing than the Kiwis. So pray for Slovakia to pull the upset and send Italy home where they belong." Sports Illustrated USA

link to the article i read about All Whites: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/fifa-world-cup/all-whites/3834701/World-takes-notice-of-All-Whites.

Crazy here. All Whites drawing with Italy. Nothing more to be said.

Have a look at my facebook statuses to get an idea of the hype I was in.

The only thing that's muffling the celebration in New Zealand are the Kiwi wives already asleep, completely ignorant to history being made.... And they are doing a great job.

All Whites made Italy look like frightened rats scurrying for rats. (until they were awarded a cheap free goal.) 23 attacks, 15 corner kicks, goals 1:1. are you gay or what, Italy??

Songs to cover

Moon River - Frank Sinatra
Bang Bang - Nancy Sinatra

On Obama's Speech About Christian America

I saw a youtube post of Barack Obama's speech where he boldly declares, "We are no longer a Christian nation. Atleast not just!"

About time, don't you think?

This isn't the 1970's where the hard core fundamental Christians ruled America. This is not even the America of the late 1990's when Presidents pro-activate prayers at the Parliaments in the presence of the press and shies away from being too bold on touchy issues like abortion and gay marriage. This is America of now. And the moment Americans decided to elect Obama (him being a African American guy), they should have known that changes are on its way. Not because his motto was all about change, but because this reflects the flexibility that had begun to be seen in the people.

I can see why many Christians and Churches will be tormented by this speech. I can see the headlines for the many coming weeks on Christian papers and sermons blaring out against this blasphemous statements by Obama.

But I don't see a reason why Americans and Christians should keep thinking of America as a Christian nation. If anything, I feel very relieved as a Church goer myself. And I completely agree with Obama on that statement. America's significant population are atheists, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and so on. If you talk about justice (as the Bible does) then you need to admit that America is run by people other than Christians too.

Also, the reason I feel relieved (and I think the Church as a whole should too) is because what America does has too long been labelled synonymously as what Christianity does. For example, when USA invaded Afghanistan, most muslims took it as a Christian man's war against a Moslem man. Whereas it was nothing like that. It only seemed like it because America was too 'Christian' as a nation (atleast as the labelling goes).

If I think of America now, I think of Hollywood, Las Vegas, superhero comics, Coca Cola, Burger King, Apple and blah blah blah. I am sorry, but America being The Christian Nation sounds more like an insult to the faith. And I am glad Obama got us over that phase. Atleast in words.

George Washington and the founders of USA founded America on the Biblical Principles. In that sense America will remain to be 'Christian' as long as those principles are still endorsed by the White House. And I don't see why they will not still continue to be endorsed.

But Christianity is a personal declaration. It is not even a religion. It cannot be a label for a country. Not even for a family. Christianity is a faith that one person chooses for himself. You may sport it and spread the word but ultimately it is upto you to decide whether you want to be or not.

one or two quotes

We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course.” from Memoirs of Geisha

In the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
Bertrand Russell

III

So easy to lose focus of something. All you need is a glance and you have been distracted.

a thought

I realised I am almost as skinny as Sid Vicious. Crazy haha.

A little corner

Today as I was in Andre's car being dropped off from dinner at his place, I saw the mist had come to sit dolefully on Christchurch. We stopped at the traffic lights.

And watching the passing trees and streaks of lights on River Avon that flowed alongside the car, I thought about where I am, a place so far from what I used to call home, from people who I used to call family and friends (not that they are no longer), far from things that I used to consider so important, sitting in a car of a guy who I never imagined I would meet ever in my life, and who I reckon I would never ever meet except for a one in a six billion 'chance'.

How crazy is that? It made me feel afraid about the enormity of how life has taken me for this ride. When I sat down and the beginning of this journey, I thought I was going for a ride on a bicycle, but now looking back I realise I have boarded a massive train hollering through a tunnel, too fast to even afford a view outside anymore.

I felt humbled. Like watching a roaring waterfall and knowing that it could sweep me from my feet and dash me against a great rock, and at the same time marvelling at the power and beauty.

Clearly life is beyond me. I never pressed the Start button. Someone else did. And I believe that that someone else will press the Stop button whenever he/she feels right. I only need to sit through it with a bit more faith.

I watched mist drape a branch of pine lit by street lamps, orange and unmoving next to the traffic lights. Reminded me of something so familiar. This little scene in a corner unnoticed by anyone else but me. Just a bend of streets, overlooked by drivers only concerned to make sure that they catch the first green light that comes on.

Maybe that little corner is a person waiting to be noticed. Standing, beautifully in its own manner. Patiently, waiting on God. Waiting on people. Waiting on lights. Waiting on mist to come and drape her for such a night as this.

my father

My father is the hero of my life. He is human.

seek first

Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.

Pass me not

Pass me not, O gentle Saviour
Hear my humble cry
While on others Thou art calling
Do not pass me by.

Saviour, Saviour
Hear my humble cry
While on others Thou art calling
Do not pass me by.

Let me at thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief
Kneeling there in deep contrition
Help my unbelief.

Fanny Crosby