A rare chance for this period to be typing an entry from the house PC

To sum things up, here's what's happened so far during the preliminary examinations period.

God was so good to me during the Elective History period. Mind you, I wasn't in the mood to study because of the cold weather these days, but I still pushed myself to study in unlikely places. I went to KFC, which was downstairs from my house, to study and have lunch. I was the first customer there, so I was entitled to sit wherever I want and stay there until the customers start pouring in. Hey, at the end of the day you've still got to be considerate for their business-running protocol, right? I mean, if you aren't buying anything much from them, don't hog those seats - at least it makes everyone a little happier that they don't have to face some donkey occupying the seats when you badly need one to sit and eat. I spent my time studying the crap out of myself.

When I started the paper, I was completely clueless about the source-based questions(SBQs). I was thrown off-guard by the sources and Question (c). I had planned to follow Kevin's method of finishing the SBQs within 25 minutes, but I gave myself a little allowance - 30 minutes. I didn't meet that 30 minutes, because I spent 15 minutes more. In the end I was panicking for time, and I prayed real hard that I could remember whatever I studied, at least the ones that I've looked through and memorised one day before. Thanks to Him, I managed to quickly write and check my answer before I went back to question (c) which I left hanging in the air beforehand.

Well, that's that for now, and I've taken English Paper 1, Chinese Paper 1, AMaths Paper 2, EMaths Paper 2, Social Studies and Elective History papers, and Physics Paper 2. There's more to go, but thank God I still have an extra 11-day holiday period to push myself to the limit and more.

Now to some stuff that's been going on within our cellgroup:

(Hey what, you can't expect me not to show some care and concern about what's going on among our brethren, right?)

1. Auntie Sunitha, Brother Jerry's maid, has to go back to Sri Lanka a week later, because from what I heard from Uncle Kelvin, she has something growing in her stomach, and to remove it requires surgery which is much more expensive in Singapore than it is in Sri Lanka. Look at ~S$9000 and now look at ~S$1500. Big difference. So, we're having a cellgroup meeting next Thursday instead of Friday, so she has at least a moment to remember when she goes back to Sri Lanka.
2. Testimony of Shen Jin Xing, a TCS artiste, tomorrow. Since we are not going to have any cell group meeting tomorrow, it's perfect timing that the canteen auntie gave me the flyer. However, she told me this morning that Shen Jin Xing, the testifier, isn't going to turn up because of his busy schedule. In his stead is 3 other artistes and stars that's going to testify in his stead. Wow... one testimony becomes three.

Well that's that for now. If you're interested in going there to hear their testimonies about Jesus coming in their life, it's at the Church of Singapore, at 7.30pm. Admission is free. Do come!

The first of the many trials of my life in Christ, I reckon

Been to the library to use my time more efficiently that at home, been to the Expo to study. Been to home cell meetings. Been even to a healing rally the night before the GCE 'O' Level Chinese exam. And I'm slogging my guts out just to gain the approval to go to church and be with the people there.

Sometimes I wonder why I have to do what I'm doing, risking my grades and all that persecution for my faith in Christ even within my own family. But I cannot fail here. This is just one of the many trials to craft me into His image more and more. Tribulations works patience, patience in turn works experience, and experience hope. I want to be a man of God. I must succeed here, how else can I be able to serve Him at this juncture?

The preliminary examinations

Books! They remind me of the upcoming examinations. There's much less time now, and still the same amount of work to do. I'm already trying my best, and am pushing my limits further.

But there's always the problem with books - you get tired of reading the same material over and over again. And being a person who doesn't like being made to study, that's certainly something that I by hook or by crook have to overcome.

Amazingly, the Bible is magically interesting because when you spend time reading it and understand its meaning within the verses it just gets you fired up - it never gets boring.

Prelim examinations - what you see is what you get!

Busy flow of traffic, eh? That's a representation of the work that's going to come up soon, after the prelims, courtesy of my 4-year old cousin Glenn's toys.

There's just so many things I'm looking forward to do, but there's just so little time left. I have to agree with what Brother Chris told me - it's a rat race out there. All for that stupid piece of paper for a decent job in society. But it gets you everywhere as easy as an ez-link card, 'cos it's internationally recognised.

When it comes to studying, this is the decisive moment, though there was no longer any time left for any back-to-the-books revision since the end of the Mid-Year Exams at the start of this semester. Although I don't know how, I have to put in all that I have, but how?

The construction of a new building

Nope, this isn't the church building progress - that's going to be confidential for now, but the building is pretty much in good progress, and it should be ready by April 2009. For years, I hear my senior brethren say, they have been praying for that new building, and after such a long time, it's finally seeing progress at breakneck speed. Hallelujah!

I'm beginning to enjoy mobile blogging, as i now save time having to use the computer when I can do this while travelling, thus making my study time more productive, since I usually eat into my study time just to post a couple of entries.

Testing out mobile blogging - nice!

Wow, just look at my table - just messy, but it'll do for now. Anyways, I'll not be able to use the computer for quite a while, because it's nearing the preliminary examinations now, so I'll be using this more pricey solution, for now.

Hey this is great, man. Finally I can blog from my hand anytime, from the MRT to the bus. Cool!

God answers prayers, this I believe.

Just the other day, the rain started pouring at 6pm. I was supposed to bring my sister back home before 8pm when the sudden downpour started. The first thing that came to my mind was how I was supposed to bring her back home on time, without getting myself wet and sticky under the humid weather, or risking having to take another shower.

I called for Dad's help, since he was driving the taxi at that time of day anyway. "Sorry ah, son," he replied. "I'm driving to my customer, so can you fetch her back when the rain stops? It's a better idea this way." ...Great. Another trip to the shower after that...

...or maybe not. I went to God, prayed for the weather to stop momentarily, just long enough for me to bring her back home in time, and still not get drenched by the rain. It was then I saw His supreme power over the weather, and His faithfulness which never fails, right before my eyes - the rain stopped by 7pm!

Isn't our God wonderful? Praise be to His name, hallelujah!

Praise be to God!

Uncle Kelvin has been asking for a complete Chinese Bible, which I haven't been able to get without risking spending big bucks at Mount Zion Christian Bookstore. I promised him that I would be able to get one for him from All Saints' Church, which is right within the school compound. I have been yearning to ask one from them, but I didn't know how to go to them seeking for a Bible just like that, because usually people would have told me to just save up and buy one for myself.

So, just a few weeks ago, I went for breakfast as usual, buying my breakfast from the auntie at the drink stall. Tuna sandwich, a can of green tea(they weren't allowed to sell cold coffee anymore). I popped the question about how I can get a Chinese Bible while waiting for her to come up and collect the payment. She said that she had one at home, but she needed to dig for it, and that she could only give me notice by the following Monday.

I waited faithfully, and my waiting paid off. That morning, the canteen auntie passed me the Chinese Bible, both complete with Old and New Testament parts. The amazing thing was how she actually got the book - she said that throughout the whole week she didn't dig for the book at all, when on that Monday morning itself, the Bible was sitting on her bedside table, her maid putting it there.

Wow, it must have been God who helped the maid dig out the Word of God in time. Praise be to God!