Take-away paper

This is the poem that I am to set music to, for my take-away paper.
As of now... about 33 hours more before I send it on registered mail to King's College......

(please continue to pray for me if you read this before saturday morning!)



La Figlia Che Piange (The Weeping Girl)

Stand on the highest pavement of the stair -
Lean on a garden urn -
Weave, weave the sunlight in your hair -
Clasp your flowers to you with a pained suprise -
Fling them to the ground and turn
With a fugitive resentment in your eyes:
But weave, weave the sunlight in your hair.

So I would have had him leave,
So I would have had her stand and grieve,
So he would have left
As the soul leaves the body torn and bruised,
As the mind deserts the body it has used.
I should find
Some way incomparably light and deft,
Some way we both should understand,
Simple and faithless as a smile and a shake of the hand.

She turned away, but with the autumn weather
Compelled my imagination many days,
Many days and many hours:
Her hair over her arms and her arms full of flowers.
And I wonder how they should have been together!
I should have lost a gesture and a pose.
Sometimes these cogitations still amaze
The troubled midnight, and the noon's repose.

-- T. S. Eliot




(Picture of a weeping girl I found on Google images to help me compose)

Hotel Rwanda

Just watched the best movie I've ever watched in 2005 so far. Absolutely splendid. Definitely a must-see for everyone.

Hotel Rwanda - click here to know more about it. (watch trailers, movie info, pictures etc.)

Peace after a storm

When darkness long has veil'd my mind,
And smiling day once more appears;
Then, my Redeemer, then I find
The folly of my doubts and fears.

Straight I upbraid my wand'ring heart,
And blush that I should ever be
Thus prone to act so base a part,
Or harbour one hard thought of thee!

Oh! let me then at length be taught
What I am still so slow to learn;
That God is love, and changes not,
Nor knows the shadow of a turn.

Sweet truth, and easy to repeat!
But when my faith is sharply try'd,
I find myself a learner yet,
Unskilful, weak, and apt to slide.

But, O my Lord, one look from thee
Subdues the disobedient will;
Drives doubt and discontent away,
And thy rebellious worm is still.

Thou art as ready to forgive
As I am ready to repine;
Thou, therefore, all the praise receive,
Be shame, and self-abhorrence, mine.


Peace After A Storm, William Cowper

Watch the JESUS movie online for free

Just watched it online. It's really good.

Click here to watch. :)

love it

It's a GLORIOUS 13 degrees celcius!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Praise God praise God praise God Praise God praise God praise God
Praise God praise God praise God
Praise God praise God praise God Praise God praise God praise God
Praise God praise God praise God Praise God praise God praise God
Praise God praise God praise !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I've just finished my french song.

Let's hope it doesn't sound like Cole Porter again. (sigh....)

How do you know it's easter?

Just wanna share this with you all :)

http://inspirationsfortoday.com/pinetrees.html

Everything

This is the beautiful song we sang in KT on sunday.

Everything
Everything
Lord You are
Everything to me

Everything
Everything
Lord You are
Everything

My Treasure, My Priority
Who can compare to You?
Great is the measure of Your Royalty
O Morning Star, You truly are
Everything

Everything...

A weekend of workshops

Yes.

1. Composition Workshop (Sat & Sun, both days 10-1pm, 2-5pm, phew, thank God it's over!)
2. OCF Piano Workshop (Sat, 6-8pm)

The Composition Workshop got me worried-sick because everyone's piece will get to be played. Apparently King's paid 'thousands of pounds' (acc. to a coursemate) to get these professional players to play our pieces. I really thank God for the opportunity even though it definitely took a lot of courage to sit through a session with your compo teachers and fellow (brilliant) compo coursemates and have your piece being worked through... I'm glad this 12 hour-long session is over.

The OCF Piano Workshop was fantastic. Praise the Lord. He is faithful. Didn't really know how to go about doing but He just led and things just flowed as we started. There was Huili, Shi Ning, June and eventually Mel joined us too, and all of us (yes even me!) learnt something - an answered prayer we prayed in the beginning. Was just nice because had there been a little more people it wouldn't be as conducive a lesson.

I'm also really really happy to be able to squeeze in a 5pm KT service today. Thought I wouldn't be able to make it but praise God He brought me to church, albeit a little late (because I thought it was a 5:30 service, don't know why, so I strolled and took my time!!) and we sang such a beautiful new song in KT... lyrics something like "You are my priority..." something something. So nice! So gripped by God's comforting and accepting Presence the moment I got into the main hall, joined by other hungry souls. It was as if an outer layer of me was shed off and taken away - the outer layer of immunity, of human-toughness, of striving, of needing to be strong for yourself...

Suddenly, I could let my guard down again. For the Lord accepts me for who I am. And in Him, I have signed a contract - a contract of blessing. It's mine. My inheritance. What a glorious message I received in church today. Amazing how the wear and tear of daily life just rips these truths apart through deception and discouragement.

I also thank the Lord for acceptance from friends. Even acceptance from friends is such a gift from God.

Haircut, 2046

OK this is me before haircut




And this is me after haircut


Think a lot of people didn't realize I cut my hair. It was pretty much a layering trim la. I do have significantly less hair though.

Went to Shang Hai Da Zhong Hua at Gerrard St, Chinatown, paid 10.80 GBP. This lady called Xiao Wu cut my hair, her little daughter's playing around and really cute. :)

I also went to watch 2046! It's horrible! If there was anything good at all, it's because I got to see my ex-fave female celeb Faye Wong again, alongside other pretty faces like Zhang Ziyi and Maggie Cheung. Otherwise, the plot is horrendous, almost as ridiculous as... anime, and a little too arty-farty for me la. I liken it to a John Cage piece of work... *shake head*

*lia bo giu*

WHY oh why must the weather be soooooo cold?????

:(

Singlish

Oh my goodness.

I can't believe wikipedia has a thoroughly researched article about my national language.

(Ah! Feel so proud!) :)

Denmark photos + haircut!

This is what I call a 'National Geographic' scene when we were in Ribe, Denmark and Mark was the only one brave enough to take his camera and able to move his fingers while mine were frostbitten even within thick gloves.

Hence the term piercing cold.

More Denmark photos at Mark's page! (As I said, he's the brave one!)

_____________________

I think I shall go for a haircut tomorrow.

Good, free food

Recently I've been learning and relearning the sheer importance of actively feeding yourself. And I find myself hungry for so much more of God!!

God's been leading me to be very blessed by Saddleback Church (whose pastor is Rick Warren, who also wrote the Purpose Driven Life).

The weekly ministry toolbox emails are very edifying.

These free online sermons are also terrific. Gonna link it here in my blog, I'd recommend you check it out because it has surely realigned my goals and direction in life this mid-semester. And spoken to me about several issues I've been entangled within.

May it bless you.

Tests

Dear friends,

When trouble or trials come your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.

For when your faith is being tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character, ready for anything.

If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God.