Farewell Larry

Liang sms me to inform me about Larry Norman's passing. I've been so out of touch. He died about two months ago. Here is a tribute to Larry Norman. Here is the lyrics to the song and the link to the video where he sang it.

I Am A Servant

I am a servant, I've been listening for my name,

I've been unfaithful, I've been looking at the game,

That I've been playing, and I've been staying much the same,

When you are lonely, you're the only one to blame.

---

I am a servant, I've been waiting for your call,

I've been unfaithful, so I sit here in the hall,

How can you use me, when I've never given all,

How can you choose me, when you know I quickly fall.

---

Yet you feed my soul, and you make me grow,

And you let me know that you love me,

And I'm worthless now, but I've made a vow,

I will humbly bow before thee,

Oh please use me, I am lonely.

---

I am a servant, getting ready for my part,

There's been a change, a rearrangement in my heart,

At last I'm learning, there's no returning once I start,

To live's a privilege, to love is such an art,

But I need your help to start,

Oh please purify my heart,

I am your servant.

Thoughts about singing/ band competition

I just read the Newpaper's report about Meryl Lee. Good for her. She seems to be better off today based on the report. I remembered her from the show. She was really good and I thought it was a pity she didn't the other competitors a challenge. I do not know the reason why she quit the show, but the reply she gave was a politically correct one.

I've been involved in some band competitions. I always wonder what happened to the winners. Some of them just faded away. while others still hang around in the scene. Some who didn't win gained better recognision than the winners. The only reason why I took part in band competion was because it was a platform for the bands to be heard. These days there are too many bands out there fighting for slots in gigs. I am jaded and tired. Therefore I decided to concentrate on recording stuff and put them up on a myspace.

I have to admit, I played in bands last time because it was a cool thing to do. Now it has become passion. The fire for this passion has been fanned but the realities of a working life merely make it a dream - an unfulfilled one. Yet many of my friends have heard me talk abou this dream. So what can I do since I don't have any new songs to showcase, so I started with stuff I did 3 years ago.

Come waste some time at www.myspace.com/theothersideofglory

Yearning for peace

Not that I am experiencing turmoil and thus needed peace, but rather I need peace in my heart for the fear that something might unexpectedly screw up.

I hung out with my former cell-members Jialiang, Joshua and Shawn at West Mall on Saturday. It's good to see that they have matured and although they are at different spiritual maturity, I am thankful to God for the opportunity to speak into their life still. Thank God the guys are still meeing Victor for bible-study on a regular basis. That gives me a blessed assurrance that they are in good hands. One of them yearns for the peace that many other Christians experience. Some of these kids have given their all in their call of duty in ministry. Yet the tragic part of such ministrry is the burn out and the personal struggle these young leaders face in their own encounters that they advocate to those they are lookin after. Thus instead of finding the peace that the Lord promises (in good and bad times), they stumble after some time (it might take years to realise that). Suddenly they realised (like of my boys) that serving God is not just about being outwardly 'on fire" that a youth is expected to be. They sense something lacking and that something has to do with what Paul mentioned in Corinthians about moving from spiritual milk to meat. I am delighted that they have this struggle now. No, I am not a sadist and I would't want anyone filled with any burdens, but certain realisations are God-given. The sudden urge to want to go beyond their young faith towards maturity led them to realise that they have to move on. It doesn't mean they are incomplete in Christ. They are as complete as the jigsaw puzzle framed and hanging on the wall. But there are stages in our spiritual life that we must show if we call ourselves Christians. The work of the Holy Spirit compels us to draw close to God. It is not a mere experiece that we experience in our charismatic/ pentecostal services. It is also to be drawn like the fathers of our faith like Martin Luther was drawn to God - to the Scripture.

One of the boys decided that his past experiences and fire were all a fluke, but I affirmed him that it wasn't. That was his faith as a child. Just like I don't expect Chia Ee to read my NASB bible and understand a single thing I read to him, but he delights in the pictures and colours of his toddler's bible. Do I condemn him for showing irreverence to God's word? Of course not! I ended our get-together by encouraging him to reconcile what he had, the experiential faith that he has to what he has yet to receive, namely to have faith that praises the Lord at all times and the opening of his eyes to the power of the Word of God by praying. Praying and yearning for peace that will one day flood their hearts with the blessed assurance that they are fully and assuredly in Christ and Christ in them in whatever circumstances they face.

Last night was the wrap party of Sayang Sayang. It's confirmed, I can't sing! Not in my own recordings let alone a KTV. But I dun care, I'll still do it anyway and let everyone have a good laugh. I am now inspired to write a song like Phil Collin's "I can't dance" and will call it "I can't sing" or "Even the crow sings better than me". What a great emo title!

iPod Jam

I had an iPod Jam yesterday. Not the kind you can eat, but the time u spend in the jamming studio without a band but an iPod. It's really hard to play-a-long with you favourite bands not when all the ones I tried to play were Killswitch Enganged "My Last Serenade", Rush's "Spirit of the radio", Comeback Kid's "All in a year". After not playing for Gloria's songs for such a long time, I had trouble remembering the arrangements. While all these songs were challenging, the one that that I thought I did fairly well was Five Iron Frenzy's "Every New Day", but man, it was tiring! It's Ska and the constant 8th notes on the hi-hats was madness but it's the most happening song of the day.

A shout out to the studio at Jurong East, X-jamming Studio. The drums were well tuned and well maintained. It's only a 5 mins walk from my place. I am trying to do this every Saturday that I am not working. This is the closest I will get to playing in a rock band again. Who knows?

Felt so good

I think we have drummer crisis at G2. James and I have to work some weekends and thus can't play so they worship leaders and the drummers have to find replacement which is so hard to arrange sometimes. Last week Samantha officially became the first girl to play drums for a service at Grace. Well done, girl!

This week was no different. Cynthia couldn't find a replacement as I couldn't make it for the rehearsal. So a compromise was reached. I was to play for the service and we'll run through the songs in the morning itself. Cynthia also chose the songs that the band have no problems with. This set the tone for what was a great experience. One that I wouldn't recommend for any of the praise bands as it prevents the band from learning a more musically challenging songs (unless every musician could sight-read perfectly).

I had a choice to make the night before. To bring my Neil Peart Snare; my Sabian cymbals or my double pedals. I chose the pedals and I spend the night before I sleep thinking about which part of the songs I could add some double-peddling patterns to spice up the groove. I found the it in "Shout Your Fame" and I think I did it again in "Hear Our Praises". I am quite please with myself because I didn't over play it. I felt I was in control. It was a good worship time from a worshipping drummers perspective. Like all service, I gave my all and my best to the King on my drums.

I foresee a long break before I play again because of the upcoming shoot that I'll be doing from May to July or August. Until then it's time to find my replacements again.

Five Iron Frenzy

I was bored while waiting for SW's class to end so I just scroll my i-Pod to a song that I have not heard for a long time and I chose FIF's "Every New Day". What a timely reminder that song is. It's not just a reminder but also a declaration; a prayer; an anthem.

If you know that song, did you remember the first time you heard this one? I am sure you were touched in one way or another. I was listening to the original version as well as the live version from their final gig where they did a "Hallelujah" tag at the end followed by a long silence when the whole crowd sang Amazing Grace (having goose bumps right now as I recall it) acapella with the band. Then one of the audience said a prayer for the band before the band took their final curtain call. It was soft coz their weren't mics prepared for it, but if u crank up the volune, u could hear and even feel it as if you were there (shucks! Goose bumps again!)

"Here's my heart, let it be forever Yours

Only You can make every new day seems so new..."

Meeting old friends at "new" (PEGGY: READ THIS)

That new place was "New Phoenix Park". I was working on a Corporate video at the Ministry of Home Affairs. Here are the people I met in chronological order (I am sharing this here cos Peggy is on Multiply)

1) Kevin Yee (Clement's brother. Dang, the only time we meet is at Purmei)

2) Joshua (know affectionately to my STHS friends as Ye Guohua

3) Derrick (student I met when I was working at the FSV Cage)

4) Peggy (first met her after a long time at Police HQ at Cantonment Rd, later in church then now at MHA)

5) Augustine (put on a little weight but recognised him thru and thru

Augustine, what a great guy and what a big influence to me in the days of Grace Youth Alive (GYA). He was like what Vincent was to me and he probably didn't know that. I guess that was why I gave him a big hug when I met him. It was quite a funny encounter. I recognised Peggy, we exchange our "hellos" then Auggie spoke and I just went, "AUGUSTINE!!" and gave him a hug forgetting that I was at the lobby of the Ministry of Home Affairs. "HELLO, WHERE ARE UR MANNERS," I immediately thought to myself. But what the heck, he was someone I have not met in (counting...) almost 14 years! Besides, the blood of Christ is thicker than water. Seeing him reminded me of my days of youth when he was the spiritual giant that he was in GYA.

So tired

I am so tired and exhausted. Yesterday had a late call time, so we ended late too. I reached home around 3.45am. I have forgotten when was the last time I felt so comatosed. I am not at the production office waiting to set off to the new location. Time check: 9.50am. Chia Ee was about to wake up when I left the house. My reaction now is pretty slow. I am afraid my boom might get in shot constantly because I might fall asleep (God forbid!) on a take.

But my involvement in this shoot lasts til Sunday and Fri is my only off day. I am looking forward to it because I am also playing for PnP. Next week was suppose to start on another project, but it was postponed and because of that I can't work on the final of Contender Asia. I wonder what can crew do if production house changes their schedule after booking us for some time. Actually I won't be disappointed if Contender wasn't on, but to know that I miss that I am really gutted.

My goodness! Why am I complaining? I should be thanking the Lord for that week of rest! Yes, I shall not fret. It's not about money, I must remember that. It's all about my Pudding Baby and my Foxy Lady!

: )X