The Constant Variable

Life changes a lot as you grow older. New responsibilities come in and are often heavier than the previous ones, new worries, new headaches, and then pimples and wrinkles.

When I was a toddler, all I worried about was getting a new toy and milk. Ken seems to be at this stage still, hmmm.

When I was 7, I worried about getting up early on Saturdays to watch Dragon Ball Z at 8 a.m. Still a mystery why TV2 had to put it so early.

When I was 13, I didn't have my first love. Instead, I worried about Manchester United winning the Premier League and God.

When I was 17, I worried about how useful I am in God's work. Oh ya, there was SPM too... Nah, not as much.

When I was 19, WRONG! I am 19! I worry about my future, Manchester United winning the Champions' League (Which they loss and caused a waterfall of tears), and pleasing God in every way.

Petty stuff like watching a cartoon show or little toys matter little now. It's just like how we put away clothes that don't fit us anymore and wear clothes that fit.

Considering the fact that Manchester United is a mature thing, it's safe to say I matured when I was 13. Whee!

Anyway, my point is that things just get bigger and bigger from here on out. Looking at my elder sisters, the things they go through can get quite stressful as compared to my 'big worries'(MU is an exclusion). But the one thing I'm glad is The Constant Variable, God.

Sure, my perception of how much He loves me might change sometimes, but the truth remains that God is constant all the time. In a world of uncertainty, it's nice to have a certainty which is true to hold on too. And for that, I'm thankful. I'll manage through uncertainties.

"Shaun, What hair to cut?"

When my sister asked me this, I thought,

"Hmm, Commando hairstyle maybe? Or what about bald, or go wild with mohawk?"

And then I remembered, it's my sister.

And I sighed.

I don't know any female hairstyle la.

T.T

"You Know About My Parents Right?"

I hesitated to answer. I kind of gathered that somewhere something was wrong because my friend always spoke about her mom only.

Err... Not really. I'm kinda shy in asking you about this actually.

Oh, my parents were living separately for quite some time. Then they divorced.

How long did they live separately again?

11 years. (Which makes her 8 at that time)

And when did your parents divorce again?

Last year.

That for me, was hard to swallow. And I'm not even the one having to bear it. The divorce happened as recent as last year, and yet she showed no signs of it.

I'm sorry about what happened.

It's alright, I've learned to live through it.

Divorce isn't a thing that should happen. Yeah, you may have done well living through the pain, but the whole point is that nobody should be put through that pain in the first place.

Love of a father.

Care of a father.

Support.

These are things everyone is entitled to experience. And yet, my friend lacks it.

Living through it is brave, but if only there weren't such a thing as divorce, then she wouldn't have to live through it but to enjoy it.

Is it really that hard to stay together until "death do us part"?

My teacher said,

"Only when your wife breathes her last in your arms, can you truly say, 'This is my wife'."

Shouldn't we then, live like today would be our loved one's last and treasure them dearly instead of signing some documents?

I Got...

Called by the teacher to stand beside him today. As I saw my classmates going back to class after quad, I wondered on what basis I was held for. I was about to say Habeas Corpus regardless whether it was relevant or not when he said:

Boy, your hair too long already.

And I was like,

Eh? Sir you call this long ar?

And he went,

Oh, not the hair, just the sideburns actually. Go and cut yourself ya.

And I thought to myself,

But dude, I like just cut my hair last February wei!

I feel insulted.

Nae.

My growth hormones feel insulted.

The teacher is blaming them for producing hair at a very high rate.

Oh, how my hormones long for justice!

I Ran...

5.8km in the cross-country run on Saturday. It was my second competitive outing, and again, it was very tiring.

At one point, I felt like giving up and just walked instead.

But I determined to carry on.

At another point, I had cramps in my stomach and shoulder.

But I determined to carry on too.

When I reached the stadium where 400 metres had yet to be completed, I truly felt like giving up again because of the distance.

But for the third time, I determined to carry on.

In the end, I made it. I kinda pushed myself to the limit and felt like vomiting, but the satisfaction of knowing I ran the entire track was worth it.

I post this today not because I want to show how determined I was in completing the race, but rather the thought that came as I was running.

Jesus was the thought.

The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating Him. They blindfolded Him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” And they said many other insulting things to Him.

Luke 22: 63-65

He could have given up on His Mission and give in to the people who hit Him.

But He determined to carry on.

Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.

Luke 23:11

Again, He could have given up His Mission. But He determined to carry on in spite of what the king and soldiers did.

They (the soldiers) stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.

Matthew 27:28-30

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.

Luke 23:33

Even unto death, He determined to carry on.

What was His Mission?

To save you and me.

Being 100% human, the physical and mental pain must have burdened Jesus greatly, to the point of giving up. But because He had us on His mind, He determined to carry on until the end.

For Him, saving us was worth all the pain and mocking.

And for that, I'm thankful.

Jesus showed us God's love
In the garden when He prayed for us
Jesus showed us God's love
When He carried that awful cross
Tell me could you say, what Jesus said
If they did those mean things to you,
"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."

Jesus showed us God's love
When He let them nail Him to the cross
Jesus showed us God's love
When He died for us
Tell me could you say, what Jesus said
If they did those mean things to you,
"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."

By The Donut Man

People Ask...

What's Prayer Meeting for if you can just sit at home with your family members and pray?

One, do we actually do that?

Second, today's time of prayer was already proof itself of the importance of coming together, praying and encouraging one another.

I Just Can't...

Help but post about this. Some of you may know my friend, Seon Fei. He attended MGC once. He's a dude from Yong Peng. Ya, a place famous for its fish balls. My teacher says it's so good it can bounce around and be used as a Ping-pong ball.

Anyway, he is a very quiet dude, but can be very funny in his own special way. My class was planning to give a birthday surprise for my two classmates this Tuesday. Of course, for it to be a success, the two victims were not supposed to know anything about it. That should already be a known fact. But this Yong Peng dude here did something so funny you can't get angry with him but just say, "Well, that's Seon Fei to you!"

He went and tell one of them that she was gonna get a surprise party.

She doesn't believe him because she thinks it's just plain dumbness to break it out to her that she's gonna get a surprise party. And especially when it hasn't happened.

Fact is, he's that dumb. In a good way. :D

Anyway, she asks why does he tell her if it's true?

He says...

"Sooner or later you also will find out about it mah."

Classic, don't you think?

He's the dude on the top right! Photo from his Facebook.