June Camp 2010 Part One

1st things 1st, I know I said that I would be blogging about Final Fantasy 7 in my next post, but due to circumstances when I suddenly found myself in Singapore the day after I finished the game and June Camp I cannot fulfill that promise. However something even better than ALL THE COMPUTER GAMES in the world has presented itself to me, and I couldn't help myself blogging about it. That right folks, its the Annual Lim Ah Pin COC June Camp!

For your information, I intentionally pang sei-ed (fang fei ji-ed) the Inter-congregational Camp held by Klang because as David Chua said, Luke 10:42. XD

So I left for Singapore last Saturday by bus and stayed at Ernest's home for two nights before the camp. Little did I expect that Ernest had a FULL HD 1080 TV at his house with a FULL 5.1 Surround Sound System plus a BlueRay Disc Player!!! Whoa! Shock! Enjoyed Die Hard 3 at his house, was totally and LITERALLY blown away by the explosions and crisp audio. 


On Sunday we all met at the petrol kiosk near the Church Building and started our journey towards Tanjong Puteri Golf Resort, Johor. Upon arrival, I finally realized why I paid $190 for the camp. The place was beautiful, magnificent, AWESOME! Something like A'Famosa resort except more well maintained. We had our 1st session immediately after arrival, which was a briefing on the camp's theme - Building a Stronger and Closer Family, by Uncle Tian Seng, Elder of LAP. Then a briefing on the rules of the camp by the Camp IC, The Awesome Isaac Chua. YEAH MAN! By that time, everybody was already getting hungry, esp Jon Yang, who kept complaining that he can't think when he was hungry.... so we proceeded to the Makan Area, where we were greeted by a awesome array of food! Chicken, Beef, Fish, Soup, Dessert, everything was delicious! Especially the beef. Yum Yum! And it was 4 days of delicious food everyday! $190 was seriously worth it.

After lunch we had our ice-breaker games, which were Human Bingo and Deserted Island. Both were very fun games, especially the last game, where we proved that being nice to others never ends up in disappointment. =D 

After the games we proceeded to our villas. I found that I would be sharing a villa with Jon Yang, Amos, Alvin Chan, Kenneth, Darren Li, Benjamin and his wife and Uncle something. The villas were as predicted, SUPER BIG AND AWESOME! Oh yeah!

After everything, we headed for dinner and the 2nd session. Based on the theme, we were targeting the negative attitudes in the church, mainly Envy, Gossip, Partiality, Personalities, Complaints, Jealousy, Bitterness and Comparing. Each session was very enlightening and informative. After listening to the lessons and through the discussions I realized that the negative attitudes pose a serious threat to the Family of God, and can potentially cause divisions. The theme of the camp was certainly well thought of and related to the present problems people are facing in this new generation. Kudos to the organisers at managing to pinpoint the main problem faced by Churches in this generation.

The next day, everything went according to schedule except that the games were canceled due to rain. A huge disappointment there. So my group took that opportunity to prepare of our skit. Note: we were separated to 4 groups, Alpha, Beta, Charlie and Delta. I was in Delta, together with Justin Kwan, Alvin and Jeshua Lin, Reuben's parents, Amerlyn, Melissa and a couple of adults who i can't remember their names. We decided to make a skit based on the session topics.

Well, it's already 12.15am and Hai is getting impatient that I'm on his comp for this long. So till later.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2......

Mirror, mirror on the wall

Just something I wrote. And By the way, its internationally exhibited.

XD

Mirrors. They’re everywhere. In the toilet, the bedroom, the car, in shopping malls, in schools, everywhere. Mirrors have become such a big part of our lives that we can’t get away from them. Whether it is to comb our hair, brush out teeth, check our appearance or even practicing speeches, it’s always a mirror that’s before us. Our lives have become such that we can’t leave home without a quick glance at the mirror. What was once a luxury in ancient times has now become a bare necessity for each one of us.

As Christians we too have a mirror that can reflect our spiritual being. The Spiritual Mirror, The Bible.

In many ways, mirrors serve as a confidence booster, to re-affirm one’s overall appearance. A quick look in the mirror, followed by a few adjustments to one’s clothing allows a person to feel more confident about himself. In the same way, the Spiritual Mirror should also serve as a confidence booster for us. As Jesus said in John 16:33,“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

This verse alone should give us the confidence we need to face the world, to go out there and preach the word. For our Lord said that He has overcome the world! That means that there is nothing in this world that is not under his subjection! Or as it is said in Deuteronomy 3 :18, “And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”

By looking into our Spiritual Mirror, we should be able to throw away all our fears and to go out there and fulfill the Great Commission. For the Lord is our Savior and our guide in this world, with Him by our side we can anything, for as Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Have you ever seen convex mirrors by the side of sharp corners on roads? These mirrors help drivers to see oncoming cars and thus prevent accidents. In the same way, our spiritual mirror should help prevent us from sinning.  For “Here hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor 10:13)

As Christians, we too are a mirror, the mirrors of Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the light, no one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)  We should be mirrors that reflect the light of Jesus to the world. By our actions and conduct, our friends and family should be able to see the light of Jesus shining through us. For Jesus said in Matthew 5:14 that we are the light of the world.

However the thing is most of us are not reflecting the Word well. It’s like our mirrors have become dull and tarnished, unable to fully reflect Jesus’ light to the world. Our fear of being belittled have coated layers of dust upon our mirrors. As Christians, we should not be afraid, we should clean off those layers of dust and polish our mirrors, lest we become as James says,

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (James 1 : 23,24)

Therefore, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)