Has Beens?

France just celebrated their 10th anniversary of winning the World Cup. The Stade de France was full again just like 10 years ago, all the stars of the 1998 team were there and they played a celebratory match against a team made up of football legends.

It was a happy occasion and will continue to be a happy occasion until maybe one of them stops and realises that that means it has been 10 years since France last won anything! They have been through 2 editions of the World Cup and 2 editions of the Europrean Championships without winning anything! They have not improved for the past 10 years since their victory!

Maybe it's normal to them to remember their famous victory 10 years ago but it seems funny to me. Hopefully they don't go on to celebrate their 15th or 20th anniversary of winning the World Cup, it will be a meaningless event while the other countries are passing them by, leaving France to look back at what HAS BEEN, 10 years ago. They failed to realise that they are no longer a force to be reckoned with in the footballing world. They can continue to celebrate their 11th, 12th, 13th anniversary of winning the World Cup, i'm sure Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Holland and all the other footballing powers won't mind.

We have 400 people in the youth ministry today. 5, 10 years down the road, are we going to look back and remember those were the days when we had 400? Are we going to reminisce what the Spirit of God USED TO do? The first generation sees a move of God, the second generation talks about it and the third generation builds a museum to it.

Before we start celebrating what USED TO be, before we build a monument and a museum to it, stop and think, are we STILL making an impact?

Passed..

Here's a snapshot of my IPPT results. Let me show off a little, it's the first time i passed my IPPT in the 5 years that i have ORD.

I'm happy that i passed, firstly my IPPT for this year is cleared and secondly i don't have to attend remedial training anymore.

I actually failed standing broad jump at the first try. I jumped a miserable 207cm for both attempts. Needing only a 212cm to pass and feeling confident that i can pass my 2.4 run, i asked the PTI for another try. He kindly gave me 2 more attempts. The first time, 207cm again. I thought to myself, could this be it? Then the last and final jump, i did 216cm. I'm happy, i said a happy thank you to the kind PTI and proceeded to my 2.4 run.

I'm confident that i can pass my 2.4 but just to make sure i make it i ran slightly faster than the trial run last sunday. I super disliked the want to die but won't die kind of feeling when i'm running. I kept praying and telling myself i must pass and not waste time coming back for remedial training anymore. It helped, i'm so thankful that i passed, got incentive some more. For those of you who don't know, i shall not say how much lest you ask me for treat, it's not much also.

I'm happy, ha ha...

He's real..

Read an article this morning about a well-known pastor in Singapore. Heard him preach before, great speaker, pastors a megachurch. A prominent figure in the local Christian community but has drawn a considerable amount of flak for his unorthodox way of preaching the gospel and spreading the message of love through his entertainment shows.

I must i admit i had my personal hang-ups regarding his entertainment shows. I thought to myself, "Must we preach the gospel this way?" However, after having read the article this morning, i seem to have gone through a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy session. I am actually impressed with the man, i sensed respect swelling up in my heart. I have decided to not be judgmental, I'm not in the position to judge anway, he is God's man. I looked beyond the outward and peeked into the heart of the man. Here's a man who wants to impact his community. Here's a man who is secure and strong enough to stand by what he feels God has placed in his heart to do even if it offends people.

"Given my profile, there will always be people who don't like me. Don't make life so difficult for yourself, go find something that you like, i'm not the only pastor in town.", he says.

What impressed me the most was that he's a man who is honest enough to share on the national newspaper that he has a daughter who has a son born out of wedlock. He is transparent enough to say that when he found out his daughter got pregnant, he was heartbroken and wanted to kick her out of the house but eventually forgave her and now the grandson is the apple of his eye.

"I don't hold grudges. Whatever you've done, whether you've taken drugs or committed a crime, if you say 'i'm wrong, please help me', i will bend backwards to help you. This is my job. But if you continue to sleep around or beat up your wife, then i'll say, leave my church. I will not help you but i will help your wife to get a divorce."

He's a pastor, he's real, no magic, no tricks, no illusion..