This is my old blog. New blog here: Lieh.ae | Lieh-always-enough

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Church & Stuff Final Episode -- Just Wanna End This Series...

Main Label: Life Update | God & Spirituality | Somewhat Dramatic Life

Hmmm... actually after the Arise & Build 2008 Pledge Day, I had no "desire" to write about it anymore... But I am still writing here just to end this story lor...

Should I say? Pastor Kong's sermon was once again... astonishing~! He lead his sermon to the climax by preaching about "Unusual Response" which was indeed, very daring, risky and also astonished! Nevertheless, because it was the pledging moment, the atmosphere, or the Presence of God was so tense and sensitive that no one would want to disturb or interrupt such moment...

In the beginning of the sermon, he talked about "manifestation" and its highest form, i.e. "Word became flesh" (John 1:14). I was much inspired again because I had never know that "Word became flesh" could have such revelations... Then he stated this:
"It is immoral to put a creature in an environment contrary to its basic nature"
Ps. Kong (02/11/08)
That statement was critical but to me, it was debatable... Anyways, he talked to us about "how to turn word into flesh?" and that's the time, he brought up the "unusual response" message! Oh man~! Once again, I never thought of that too! However, like I said such message was quite risky because "unusual" can be both ways, positive and negative manner. However again, like I said, the Presence of God and the atmosphere was filled with awe and seriousness, though the message could be risky, God was there to "make sure everything gonna be alright". God was there to touch people's heart and desire and stuff. There would have no "spirit of objection" at that moment...
"For every biblical manifestation, there is always first and unusual response."
Ps. Kong (02/11/08)
That was his another excellent revelation. At near end. Pastor also mentioned that "unusual response" was the key to change your usual, routine, unchanging life style or cycle. It is the key to breakthrough! (Breakthrough means "sudden burst of power that takes you from previous point to the next level.") And by that, he brought us onto the very moment of pledging!

~ My Unusual Response ~ | ~ Somewhat Dramatic ~
Ahaha... LOL... Sometimes, I really find it funny how sermons can be so relevant with my current life like that... Pastor talked about "unusual response" which was really an unusual sermon as well... But to my surprise, I also got my very own "unusual response" too... Haha...

First Unusual: Pledge pattern. This was my fourth Building Fund ever since I was in this Church. My first three Building Funds, I pledge in the usual pattern of giving monthly over a period of six month. Mostly, the amount was divided equally over that six months. Meaning, I gave an equal amount every month until the end of the Arise & Build. But this time round, like some weeks ago, I had already decided to give in an "unusual" way. Actually, I wanted to try to give all at once, without spreading the amount for the six months period. This idea of giving was influenced by my decision to "leave Church"... As wanting not to come so often, so I don't want to "give so frequent" also mah... Haha... But it ended up "unusual" lor which was so "in line" with the sermon. Haha... In addition, I decided to give more... so I had decided to give additional amount at the last month of the Building Fund. And that's how I got the pledge pattern: "75% for first month, remaining 25% at last month". And in between, no giving. But actually, I will finish the 25% the moment I got the amount, so no need to wait for last month actually...

Second Unusual: Not much tearing this time round... But instead, during the whole Service, I could feel that I was "trembling" all the time! Especially towards the end of the Service... or the climax atmosphere... This was very unusual to me... I thought I am gonna to cry, but actually I personally knew that I was controlling my tears lah... The intense of His Presence made the whole atmosphere very sensitive... I knew that I could burst into tears easily... The trembling of my heart could tell that... But I was controlling... until the worship songs started, my tears flowed... But with my control, I didn't weep so bitterly that kind, only tears and a little bit of "crying out loud"...

Then I Holy Spirit was like telling me this (in Chinese) “要哭就哭啦。。。” (If you want to cry, then carry on crying...) After hearing that, I wanted to cry out loud, but the "climax" had gone, so I couldn't cry a lot like nobody's business... However one thing that I realized, and couldn't help to say that this is quite relevant... That "the closer you are to the stage, the stronger the Presence of God is". I find it quite true... In the week before this Service, I sat nearer to the stage, floor area, and I cried non-stop! I wanted to stop, I ask God to stop it, but He didn't heed my words... So all I could do, is crying in the Presence of God, in other words too, in His embrace... But last Service, I was sitting in the terrace side, but I could control the tears... just wondering whether this was really got to do with the distance between myself and the center stage...?

Anyways, such crying was like, the "Third Unusual" thing to me... Because I "cried in advance"... before the actual pledge day... To add, after the weeping during Service, the next day, I cried bitterly too while I was driving. (This part of story was written in much details in the Episode 4.) And this was indeed unusual to me. In conclusion, I was thinking, maybe God wants me to response in this way ba...

~ One Thing ~
Pastor had us to simply and only write down one thing at the back fold of the offering envelope... I wrote of course... one thing... one of my life thing... I've thought many things... Indeed, "writing one thing" was obviously not enough... So my mind was thinking, prioritizing and in the end... only that one word became very impressive, all my mind was giving credit to push that word into the top priority... At the moment, this was the only thing I could think of... I was thinking, indeed, this could at the end of the day, help to solve many other questions and problems in my life... I really needed that as I thought... so I wrote: "one thing: Mxxxxxxx"! Well, was kind of embarrass (paiseh) to write it down now... But then later I realized that I was too general with the keyword... Should have be more specific... sigh... God I pray that You know what I want, what I mean. And I know that You will always give me the best answer for me, like You always do. Thank Ya~! In Jesus' name. Amen~! Haha... Thank You God.

~ Usher's Nature ~ | ~ Phyllis' Unusual Response ~
Hmmm... Really thank God that I was still doing usher work eventhough I was not an official usher already... In the morning, I help a friend, Carol Chin Huili actually, to bring her to Church. She called and asked me whether I could go to her house and fetch her, when she found out that I was going into Singapore on Saturday night... Because she just had her leg surgery and she wanted to go to Service to write down the pledge card. She told me while I drove to Church that this time round, she really could feel the "excitement" of pledging and giving to Building Fund regardless her previous number of times of Building Funds... And she said the she was so excited that she couldn't sleep~! And the end result was... I gotta give her morning call!!! *... ... ...* Maybe she gave excuses~! Haha... Joking lah, Chin Huili, don't scold me~~!

After she treated me a drive-through MacDonald breakfast with carpark fees SGD2.60 per entry (on Sunday), we headed to Singapore Expo, driving in from the "back entrance". And this was my first usher work for that day...

Phyllis (Feili) also came to the Service from JB. She was so busy most of the time partly because of her 万香城 Restaurant. But she made an effort to come for today lor... And made the commitment in the Building Fund as well... But she was kind of slow in writing... she sat next to me, while passing the offering bucket, she was still writing something on the envelope... I wanted to wait for her, but... after some waiting, I guess others couldn't wait too, so I gotta pass the offering bucket passing-by her... Felt bad...

Pastor wanted all the offerings (and buckets) to be brought to the stage by ushers because he wanted to pray for it. I think this is very important for those... our offerings and pledge cards to be brought to stage and be prayed about. But Feili's offering envelope was still with her... Just as others... most buckets had reached the stage, I realized that Feili had finished writing hers. With the kind of "usher's nature" and of course, "the attitude of CHC's Usher", I asked her to gimme her offering envelope and helped her to pass to the stage... Well, I thought I could do it... I passed to a security, but he "rejected" me... Just as I wanted to go back to seat, an usher stopped me and pointed to another usher who was having a piled up buckets of offerings! I was released with a gratitude to God, "Thank God!" So I put the envelope into the top bucket and had the usher went to the stage! Haha... "Thank God!" I guessed... that was Feili's "unusual response" afterall... Erm... unusual way of giving offering... Well, she was much different from those who had the usual way of putting offering envelope what... Haha...

~ Lieh-Not-Enough ~
That Sunday, I met 3 different groups of friends... In the morning, I fetched Carol Chin Huili. After Service, helped Mami (Elyn) to buy her "This is Our God" Hillsongs DVD/CD. Then went to River Valley Road to meet CG for lunch. I was a "little" lost way during the journey. And I thought that the place they wanted to go was in front of the Great World City... Only later to realise that it was the 5 Stars Chicken Rice in River Valley Road! Man~! That was one of my favourite food! Of course I knew where it is... After the lunch, I drove back to Carol's house, because I was carrying her chair in my car! Haha... I thought that "just in case we needed it", so I decided to bring her chair along... The chair served as wheelchair for her... She now can't live without it! So must bring back for her. And I don't want to drive around with the chair too! Haha...

After that, met another friend for movie. We watched "The Coffin"... Erm, not really a horror movie, but got a message to tell... Kind of find it funny when Karen Mok said: "I don't want to disturb the wheel." Well, don't feel like telling the movie here and give anymore comments...

Then I went back to JB. Oh... there was a little traffic jam... Anyways, I once again had the "Lieh-not-enough" feeling again... Everybody wants a piece of Lieh again! On Saturday night, I met my sis, Finn actually. We went to her friend's Birthday party. She was invited to cut cake together, because her Birthday was near to her friend. After that, we met another group of her friends... She wanted me to go with her for a lunch on Sunday with her other group of friends, because they wanted to celebrate her Birthday as well. But I rejected her, because I could meet others... At home, my lovely Papa wanted to "chop tree", he had "hinted" us, but too late, I already decided to go to Singapore on Saturday night. What's more, that Sunday's Service was very very important to me! I am so sorry that I gotta forego helping Papa to chop tree... :(

Feel like time not enough, thereby resulting love not enough, effort not enough... On Sunday, certain part of my time was used for driving / transportation too... I figured, recently I had attended the Sunday Services consecutively about 4 times (that makes a month), because of the Building Fund, and I already felt so tired... :( I thought I am not gonna come back next week. But my Poly friends just organized a dinner on the coming Sunday because we got 2 friends' Birthdays to celebrate, although their Birthday had just over... 2nd and 3rd week of October. That time, Minnie, who is also the organizer / initiator of this dinner, had her Psychology course examination. So she couldn't make it to meet up. And she is organizing this dinner now lor, after her exam... So this week, will come into Singapore again...

Then soon... the Church's very own Asia Conference 2008 is coming on the way... From 19th to 23 November. For more details: click here. Guess I can only go for Sunday one... On 22nd November, Saturday night, gonna attend a good friend's wedding dinner... Feel so desired and interested for the Asia Conference, but the timing and venue is not suitable for me. But afterall, I wanted to cut down my commitment in Church too... Then again, I could wait for the CD or DVD for Asia Conference to be published... But again... it gonna cost a lot~! Definitely 3 digits pricing! Hai...

Oh and there's Christmas in December... then, that's... New Year... ... ... Really ain't exciting for gaining one year older leh... Sigh... Year end, October, November and December is always busy for me... Good friends' Birthday all lie in these months... Money not enough ah... Birthday blessings, Wedding blessings, Building Fund commitment, other expenses... And there is a new PSP model coming out~! PSP-3000~!!! It has this accessory called Go!Explore, which is simply a GPS Receiver attachment! I wanted it too~! So that I won't go lost in Singapore again~! Haha...

Wanted to write more... But that's long liao... With much loves and excitement...

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Imported Blog Entries (From Blogger) to Multiply

Just trying imported all the blog entries from Blogger to Multiply... And it was done within a minute! Hmmm... Just wonder... is there a need to import here or not??? Haha...