Just The Wei I Am tag:,2008:/2 2008-03-11T02:54:39Z Natural ingredients only - no additives Movable Type 3.33 The power of the arts tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2008://2.260 2008-03-11T02:39:52Z 2008-03-11T02:54:39Z I'm reading The Heart of The Artist by Rory Noland. It used to be compulsory reading for everyone in worship and arts ministry in church, but I'm not sure if it still is. In any case, for my own benefit,... The Heart of The Artist by Rory Noland. It used to be compulsory reading for everyone in worship and arts ministry in church, but I'm not sure if it still is. In any case, for my own benefit, I decided to get the book. Helen from work also strongly recommended that I read it. So today I picked it up off the bookshelf where it had been waiting for months. The power of the arts
The arts can have a powerful impact if they're produced with the anointing power of the Holy Spirit. God used an anointed musician to open Elisha's heart to prophecy in a powerful way (2 Kings 3:15). In the same way, an inspired piece of art in the hands of an anointed artist can be extremely powerful. An anointed song sung by a Spirit-filled vocalist results in a holy moment. We Christian artists can't do what we do apart from the One who gifted us. Let's never forget that our message is not in glitzy demonstrations of our own talent but in "demonstration of the Spirit's power" (1 Cor 2:4). One theme running throughout the book of Ezra is that God's hand was upon Ezra and all that he did. We need the mighty hand of the Lord to be upon artists today. (21, emphasis mine)
Noland, Rory (1999). The heart of the artist: a character-building guide for you and your ministry team. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.]]> Surrender tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2008://2.259 2008-01-08T01:40:34Z 2008-01-08T02:02:56Z Surrendering everything means being willing to say, "Lord, whatever You want me to do I'll do it. I say yes to anything You ask of me, even it means dying to myself and my desires. I will give up the... Surrendering everything means being willing to say, "Lord, whatever You want me to do I'll do it. I say yes to anything You ask of me, even it means dying to myself and my desires. I will give up the things of the flesh that I want in order to have more of You in my life. I will go to church when I feel like staying home. I will fast when I feel like eating. I will pray when I would rather go to bed. I will read Your Word when I would rather watch TV. I will give when I would rather spend my money on myself. I will enter into praise and worship as my first reaction instead of my last resort. I will do whatever You say so that I can please You and move into all You have for me." This attitude of surrender means putting God first and submitting to His rulership. And it makes all the difference in our lives. [...] Why is it so hard for us to simply say, "Whatever You want, Lord, I'll do anything You ask"? It's because we want what we want and we're afraid of what God might ask of us. We think He might do something to hurt us. Also, it's not just a matter of saying, "Jesus is Lord." We must then do what He says. Jesus said, "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). We doubt that what God asks us to do will be for our greatest blessing. But that's wrong. God just wants us to be on the winning team. [...] Jesus said, "Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:27). You can't bear His cross unless you surrender your life to Him. A surrendered life, a life ruled entirely by God, is one that can be used powerfully for His kingdom purposes. God doesn't want just part of you. He wants it all. Omartian, Stormie (2005). The power of a praying woman. IMprint Edition. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers. p80-82.]]> Reflection on Warlords the movie tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.258 2007-12-14T19:24:24Z 2007-12-14T19:50:19Z Pang - The Greater Good A good guy, his ethics is utilitarianism. It is right to kill 4000 men in order to save many thousands. Er Hu - The Hero Also a good guy, he believes that there are imperatives... Pang - The Greater Good A good guy, his ethics is utilitarianism. It is right to kill 4000 men in order to save many thousands. Er Hu - The Hero Also a good guy, he believes that there are imperatives that cannot be compromised. The 4000 men cannot be killed, regardless of the implications. Wu Yang - Follow the Leader Yet another good guy, his ethics is borrowed. Lacking his own, as a result, he eventually makes some tragic choices. Pang had morals based on his own reasoning. Dependent on his situation, his ethics was flexible. What was wrong in one situation might be undesirable but necessary in another. Wu Yang was loyal and faithful, believing and following Pang. When Pang stumbled him, he was lost without a source of ethics. Finally forced to make his own moral judgment, he did so badly. Er Hu, a former bandit, was inspired by Pang's utopian vision. Reformed, he chose to be a hero. His ethics were not dependent on the situation and are consistent. The right thing had to be done regardless of consequences to himself or anything else for that matter. Blameless to the very end.]]> He understands tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.257 2007-11-26T09:40:11Z 2007-11-26T09:47:29Z Sunday morning, I was feeling really down. But just one divine word, just knowing that He understands. That touched me at the core of my soul. I've found myself being drawn nearer to God, and really discovering that only He... understands. That touched me at the core of my soul. I've found myself being drawn nearer to God, and really discovering that only He truly satisfies. And that my life is truly purposeful when aligned with His will. As empty as that often sounds, I must say that it is only as true as the extent to which I know Him, and the extent to which I commune with Him. Lord, I'm grateful that You've made that void in my heart tangible again. Please come in and take Your place. I know I do not fully yield, and I pray, Lord, that You would help me die to myself more and more, day by day. Amen.]]> My old phone number is a magnet .. tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.256 2007-10-30T05:21:14Z 2007-10-30T05:29:15Z .. that attracts Credit card cold callers Insurance company recruiters China phone scammers Timeshare cold callers The first 2 are still alright. The last 2 are sometimes interesting, and at worst irritating. Between them, I would have gotten about $75,000,... .. that attracts Credit card cold callers Insurance company recruiters China phone scammers Timeshare cold callers The first 2 are still alright. The last 2 are sometimes interesting, and at worst irritating. Between them, I would have gotten about $75,000, a trip to China, a nice watch, and a free spa visit. Makcik bagusnya! tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.255 2007-10-30T05:10:11Z 2007-10-30T05:19:49Z Yesterday evening, after work, 5 of us (CL, YL, KK, RY and myself) went to Auntie Hamedah's place for dinner. She was very hospitable and the food was very good. And there was so much, we couldn't finish. She kept... Yesterday evening, after work, 5 of us (CL, YL, KK, RY and myself) went to Auntie Hamedah's place for dinner. She was very hospitable and the food was very good. And there was so much, we couldn't finish. She kept making us eat, and we were all so full. Kenyang sekali lah! It was fun and everyone enjoyed themselves. Auntie is really motherly. Even in the office, she takes such good care of us. In our organisation with many offices across the island, our office is probably the cleanest, and we know why. Even at our individual workstations, she would arrange our clutter into some semblance of order. We're thankful that we're able to have such a wonderful relationship with her! Who draws near? tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.254 2007-10-30T05:04:07Z 2007-10-30T05:10:04Z I often feel far from God, and desire His closeness and presence. When I pray, I would ask that He draw me close to Him, or that He would draw near to me. Sunday morning, during the prayer meeting, as... I often feel far from God, and desire His closeness and presence. When I pray, I would ask that He draw me close to Him, or that He would draw near to me. Sunday morning, during the prayer meeting, as we were waiting upon God, He placed this upon my heart: God is always here, and He always wants to be close to me. When there is distance, it is only because I am not drawing near. It is me, not Him. What have I done to draw closer? Frente! on the M6 and X3 tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.253 2007-09-08T19:41:36Z 2007-09-08T20:48:42Z "Marvin The Album" (Yes, all 3 words are the name of the album) by Frente! (yes, the exclamation mark is part of the name of the band) is one of my favourite CDs. It's one of the first CDs I... Marvin The Album" (Yes, all 3 words are the name of the album) by Frente! (yes, the exclamation mark is part of the name of the band) is one of my favourite CDs. It's one of the first CDs I bought in my life, when I was 14, and I have loved it since. Angie Hart's beautiful voice and the band's wonderful acoustic playing has always made this an uplifting album. Much more than their next album, the darker "Shape", which I also have but listen to much much less. Today, I listened to "Marvin The Album" again after a long time of not doing so. I wanted to hear how it would sound on my Meizu M6 and Crossroads MylarOne X3 combination. The M6 is lauded as a portable player with high quality internal components, making its output sound better. The X3 is an in-ear monitor (earphone that goes into the ear canal) that is lauded for its clarity in music reproduction, with good instrument separation (the ability to listen and focus on individual instruments in a musical recording). Both are excellent value for money. If interested, check out Jaben (blog, forums and online shopping) for information on the X3 and MeizuMe for the M6. Of course, if you're my friend, just ask me lah! Back to Frente!... I had already encoded the CD in lossless FLAC format so that I can play it on a portable player. Deciding that I would do The Listen tonight, I plugged in the X3, and switched on the M6 with anticipation. I knew it would sound good, but I wonder how good? The result: Very very good! This is my favourite CD for the most part of the last 12 years, and I've honestly never heard it sound so good. I had shivers down my spine by the time of merely the 4th bar of the first track. Angie's voice sounded so.... poignant. The piano was so.... musical. On the next track, one of their best, "Labour Of Love", the folk guitar was introduced to the album, and it sounded great! The choke-strum was solid, and I could hear the impact as flesh met string strings. The harmonics sounded as the closing notes sounded brilliantly bell-like, just as they should. On "Lonely", I heard a percussion instrument I cannot identify that I've never notice for there on the track. The bass playing on all the tracks was clear and not muddied, with distinct notes. And it is a very excellent arrangement, a very melodious and inventive bassist. I have to admit that I've never been able to listen to the bass on this album properly. I think this is the one biggest improvement the M6/X3 has made to my appreciation of this album. "Marvin The Album" is still one of my top favourites, and now I get to listen to it with a new-found appreciation.]]> New Gadget - Meizu M6 tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.252 2007-08-28T10:17:14Z 2007-08-28T10:21:00Z Got this on Saturday. Will enthuse about its quality later. Was fun bargaining. The earphones (in-ear monitors, to be exact) are the pair I got some time ago - the Crossroads Mylarone X3.... Got this on Saturday. Will enthuse about its quality later. Was fun bargaining. The earphones (in-ear monitors, to be exact) are the pair I got some time ago - the Crossroads Mylarone X3.]]> Things I want to do tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.250 2007-07-23T12:25:13Z 2007-07-23T12:36:33Z Finish ALL my work (but.. I guess, one at a time..) Get some rest. Read the Bible more and gain insight into its timeless truths Practice on my electric guitar more and learn new things Learn to read standard notation... Finish ALL my work (but.. I guess, one at a time..) Get some rest. Read the Bible more and gain insight into its timeless truths Practice on my electric guitar more and learn new things Learn to read standard notation Write some songs Start a band? Make some videos as my own projects (i.e. not commissioned) Make some websites for fun (and maybe some income?) Make a DIY portable amplifier Buy a good portable media player that will last me years Continue working on that 35mm DOF adapter Properly tidy up all the contents on my harddiskS Properly tidy up my room (argh) Plan my saving plan for the next 2 years Read books. Lots of them. Finish reading books that I've read halfway. Lots of them. Digitise my CD collection. Backup my DVD collection. Only You tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.249 2007-07-23T12:23:13Z 2007-07-23T12:24:17Z God, only you can truly satisfy. I know. :)... God, only you can truly satisfy. I know. :) Books tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.248 2007-07-19T08:56:46Z 2007-07-19T09:01:09Z Went to the library during lunchtime and got myself the following: Test-Driven Development by example Agile Software Development Ecosystems Ruby on Rails for dummies UML - A Beginner's Guide Sounds fun?...
  • Test-Driven Development by example
  • Agile Software Development Ecosystems
  • Ruby on Rails for dummies
  • UML - A Beginner's Guide
    • Sounds fun? ]]>     still. tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.246 2007-07-15T01:58:52Z 2007-07-15T02:01:00Z still.... still. haiku cuckoo kangeroo tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.245 2007-07-10T03:30:38Z 2007-07-10T04:05:18Z oh my computer you mindlessly shuttle bits through printed circuits my friends like to blog does the internet make us closer or further? haven't been in touch how have you been over there? i'm missing you here the above haiku... oh my computer you mindlessly shuttle bits through printed circuits my friends like to blog does the internet make us closer or further? haven't been in touch how have you been over there? i'm missing you here the above haiku could be said about many I miss many friends many have visions they seem to cast their gaze beyond what is near but for me, o God what am I but ash and dust yet made animate cannot help but feel somewhat envious and little at my seeming lack Lord you have placed me somewhere in your masterplan will you tell me where? perhaps I know liao but I think I do not know if so, let me know what is it I do? should i stay near or go far? what is big or small? hey who is to say what I do is big or small? only God can say anyway these days there are many ups and downs where are the waters? last sunday's sermon I must learn to pray like jeff God help me help me! Let's stop looking at the Teacher issue tag:wei.lookingabove.com,2007://2.244 2007-06-22T05:19:31Z 2007-06-22T07:43:11Z ST Forum: Is there a shortage of school teachers? The teacher issue comes up again in a ST Forum letter. (thanks Yeu Ann) I am one of those who have started to think that the issue lies in a group... Is there a shortage of school teachers? The teacher issue comes up again in a ST Forum letter. (thanks Yeu Ann) I am one of those who have started to think that the issue lies in a group of people - Principals. In my personal experience as both as student and relief teacher, I have come across a couple of them who have left me a bad impression. As pointed out by a number of teachers, factors like public-private sector renumeration aren't all that important. On the other hand, a bad principal can be quite a strong push factor. It's a pity to lose scores of dedicated teachers because of one individual. Bad principals come across as career people. They look more like managers than educators. Yes, principals are managers, but what I mean is that these particular ones do not feel like educators-at-heart. Their concerns lie in school image, branding, exam statistics, academic and CCA achievements, KPIs, etc. There is no sense that they care about students' well-being or the grooming of young teachers. Personal experiences: The principal made my class of 13-year-olds spend the entire period out in the open, under the sun, just because they were 'noisy' while excitedly lining up to go to the library. I was also given a stern warning for failing to keep the noise level down. Teachers soon learn that noise level has a higher premium than the education process. The principal's idea of detention is to make the offending student spend the entire schoolday sitting outside the general office. Some recalcitrants spend days away from the classroom because of this. Not only are they publicly humiliated thus, but they miss days' worth of lessons. How does this reform them, pray tell! It was evident that the technical stream students were essentially forgotten when it came to matters of education, nurture, encouragement and everything good. Only attention they get is disciplinary. What is the purpose of discipline? Is it not supposed to be loving and for reformation? Here it feels merely punitive. Express students, on the other hand, are feted, and only so because their achievements can be splashed across banners outside the school. Teachers in this school are uninspired. They do not find a role model in the principal. There is no respect, only fear. No one would dare be a maverick. Just do what they are supposed to do. The students really are the main motivation for them. There are wonderful dedicated teachers who love their students dearly and who are dearly loved by students - they count down to the day when they are able to request for a transfer. When I was a student, some of the best teachers in my school transferred out when a new principal took over. We students might never know what transpired at the staff meeting where one of them supposed stormed out halfway. The issue was apparently about whether the school's performance (i.e. ranking, statistics, honours) or the student's needs were more important. It was clear as time went by that the former was more important, at least to this principal. So, even as we wonder how to hire and retain good teachers, let us also think about the quality of the principals in whose hands we entrust the cultivation of not just our students, but also that of our teachers.]]>