Dear Mandy,




Well, this is a clip from the finale of the entire Proposal Daisakusen; the part where Ken finally tells Rei that he likes her. I've cried desperately and painfully at this part 3 out of 4 times I've watched this before, because I realise just how sweet, tender and difficult it must have been for Ken, and for Rei as well. =)



For this clip, it comes from the Proposal Daisakusen SP. I love what Ken is saying as he's running. I'm going to give you the English translation for what he says when he's running, mainly... when the music starts after he leaves the car. Here's what he says:

" About one year ago, I also ran with all my strength this way...
To return to the past, running with all my strength time and time again.. for Rei.
I ran with all my strength before...
because I wanted so badly to change Rei's tears into a smile.
I ran with all my strength before...
Because I wanted so badly to see Rei.
I ran with all my strength before...
Because I wanted to give Rei my 2nd button.
I ran with all my strength before...
Because I didn't want Rei to regret anything.
I ran with all my strength before...
Because I wanted to be the first person to celebrate Rei's 20th birthday with her.
I ran with all my strength before...
Because I wanted to tell Rei "I love you".
I threw with all my strength before...
Because I didn't want to be forgotten by Rei.
I ran with all my strength before...
Because I wanted to propose to Rei.
I ran with all my strength before...
Because I was afraid of losing Rei.
Ever since a year ago, I have been running with all my strength for Rei.
Because I didn't want to be separated from Rei...
No matter what, I wanted to tell Rei that I love her...
That I wanted to make her the happiest person in the World...
I ran with all my strength.
Those feelings slowly came back...
and without realising it..
I felt like crying.
Although I still had things left over, I've been running away this past year.
I felt it within the inner depths of myself."

This.. speech by Ken really makes me very wistful. Because how many of us would run so much, do so much for the person that we really love? I don't know, and perhaps, I'll never know, but I'm certain that if we really love someone.. then we'd be able to do so much for him or her. Of course.. I want to be able to do so for God.

For the God who saved me...
For the God who's always been there...
For the God who's always so faithful...
For the God who gave His one and only son, so that I may have eternal life.

And also.. maybe someday.. for the woman that the Lord will bring into my life. I wonder... =)

Yesterday's service was a really good sermon. It had 3 important points, mainly:

1) Knowing our final destiny
2) That we do know God
3) Abiding in God's presence

And yet, the Lord spoke to me about so many things. Three main revelations that struck me, though not necessarily of the same order, but let me elaborate.

The first revelation that He gave me, was in relation to what I'd been reading about in Richard and Kristine Carlson's "One hour to live; one hour to love". Richard Carlson said this: "None of us knows, of course, how long we have to live. Even fewer of us realise what a blessing in disguise this "curse" of knowing we will one day die really is. It encourages us to live on the edge, not to take life for granted, and to be grateful for what we have, treating life as the miracle it truly is." I think that it's self explanatory... if we know our final destiny, then the more we should embrace every moment for what it is worth... instead of moping around, and letting precious nuggets of life slip us by.

The second revelation is that the challenges that we face show us the reality of God. But the Lord prompted me to think even deeper... He asked me to think about why challenges were given to us in the first place. And I answered Him, that every challenge has an obstacle to overcome. The Lord showed me that every obstacle and challenge we face has its own learning objectives, it's own learning pointers. But the question that He gave me was this: Do I even stop to ponder about what the learning points are in each ordeal that I go through, or do I just rejoice and give thanks that I've managed to overcome this obstacle. Every challenge, He said, is an opportunity to become a better person, to learn, and to become more and more like the Jesus that we know who walked the Earth. This revelation struck me really really hard.

The final revelation, is a reminder that the Lord is always with us. In good times, and bad times... He is always there. However, we always wonder and cry out in bad times "Lord, where are you?", when in truth, He's the one that's carrying us in our pains.. just that we're too caught up in our ordeals that we don't even realise that God has always been with us. He's always trying to reach out to us, but it's up to us to discern and try to hear Him speak in our difficult arenas.

I'm starting afresh a new school semester, and this sermon really came at the right time. =) The song that the Lord gave to me, is a rather old song.. it's called "People need the Lord. Here're the lyrics. =)

Every day, they pass me by
I can see it in their eyes
Empty people filled with care
Headed who knows where
On they go through private pain
Living fear to fear
Laughter hides their silent cries
Only Jesus hears

People need the Lord
People need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams
He's the open door
People need the Lord
People need the Lord
When will we realise
People need the Lord

We are called to take His light
To a world, where wrong seems right
What could be too great a cost
For sharing life with one who's lost
Through His love, our hearts can eel
All the grief they bear
They must hear the words of life
Only we can share

People need the Lord
People need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams
He's the open door
People need the Lord
People need the Lord
When will we realise
People need the Lord

"At the end of broken dreams.. people need the Lord."
"I will never fail you, nor forsake you. - Joshua 1:5"

To me.. I guess this song is a call for salvation for people? But it also reminds me of the fact that.. even as Christians, we really need the Lord in our lives.. and where would I be, if not for the almighty God who stays with us through times of pain and suffering? =) I don't know... but I'm thankful for my saviour. =)

Dear Mandy,

Well.. I just watched "Virgin Snow" which starred Miyazaki Aoi and Lee Jun-Ki. This is a story about a Korean transfer student called Min whose father is a potter who went to Japan, and there, he met Nanae, who's a Japanese high school student who ends up in the same school as him, who specialises in art. THeir story blossoms slowly and sweetly, and despite the language barrier... this tale speaks of the efforts a pair of true lovers would take for each other. The two make a pact.. that Min would one day make ceramic pottery, and Nanae would paint them. A simple promise, but taken up by both with much effort and desire. Nanae hones her painting skills, and learns Korean; Min starts learning how to do pottery, and Japanese.

I was sincerly touched by the sweet simplicity of their romance, and the tenderness. All Min wants is to put a smile constantly on Nanae's face, whereas Nanae just wants to spend the rest of her life with Min. But Nanae's family background forces her to make a decision and to move away from Kyoto, which she does without saying anything to anyone, except in a letter inside a amulet that she gives Min on their 100th day together. Min also gives Nanae a ceramic doll that is his first ever successful claywork.. with it, were promises of a future that held much promises and memories... which never came to be, for Min gave the amulet to his grandmother without reading the letter inside. Thus, he returns to Kyoto, not knowing what happened, and why Nanae left. With the hurt brooding in his heart, Min went back to Korea.

In the midst of their romance, Nanae and Min sat on a rowboat in a river in Japan. Nanae then reveals that any couple who sits on a rowboat on this river would never last. And Min then revealed that any couple who walks along Doldam Street in Seoul would also never last. However, this bad luck would be erased when a couple walks along that street on the first day of snow in Korea. They then make a pact to meet along that street the next virgin snow.

2 years later, Nanae's painting won an award at an art competition in Korea, and she chances upon Min. However, Min is cold and aloof to her, and both part with heavy hearts. Nanae goes back to her painting of Kyoto, and adds in the final touches... Min's face at each of the locations that they had ever been together. Min however, breaks all the ceramic statuettes that he had not painted, waiting for Nanae to paint them, and tears the painting Nanae gave him apart. Fate chanced upon them, when Min's grandmother returned the amulet to him, and he finally reads the letter inside. Min goes back to the temple where Nanae and him made a wish together, and finds out that every year, Nanae was waiting for him at Doldam Street in Korea.

When he returns to Seoul, it starts to snow, and he realises that it's the virgin snow in Korea. Remembering what Nanae did every year, he rushes off to Doldam street. In the midst of a jam, he gets out of the taxi, and starts to run to Doldam street. Fuelled by his desire to see Nanae and reconcile with her, he runs the entire distance to Doldam Street... when he reaches... he manages to see a note on a tree written by Nanae: "First Snowfall, date, promise.. I believe." There, he finds Nanae, and they finally get back together.

I'm really touched by the simplicity of this romance story, because it speaks of a very very simple thing: two people taking an effort individually to make a relationship work. It's not easy, definitely... but if two people really feel for each other, and they make an effort... then things should work out eventually. For some people, they might feel the movie to be a bit draggy, and cheesy at certain points... but I see past the movie aspects, to the more emotional and aesthetic aspects... it's really a simple movie with a simple meaning. It's a rather fresh approach to things. =)

Yesterday was my last day at Loyang Sec, and being honest.. I had mixed feelings about it. I was happy that I can stop working, yet a bit wistful, especially with regards to 4A1, and a few other individual students. I think that the students are actually quite good, but they just need motivation and more attention to them for their studies. Well.. I know that there're 4A1 students frequenting my blog, so hello to you! =) Hahaha... but in any case, it's been great.

I also managed to take a few snapshots of the 4E and 5A students' artwork, and I can honestly tell you that some of their art work is really really good. If you don't believe me, take a look at them! =)

A painting about fear

This is Nadia's painting

YingYing's painting about what smoking does to you

Esther's drawing about tourism

A painting about contours

I honestly am impressed by their art work, really. And well, God affirmed me through this opportunity to witness such amazing art pieces that indeed, each of us have been called by Him to fulfill our own purposes in life. I know I can't paint for nuts... but these children can... THese children who're supposedly in a neighbourhood school can create such wondrous pieces of art. They're definitely intelligent, just in a different way from others. =)

I was at "Day of His power" yesterday, where the churches involved in the "Love Singapore" movement gathered to pray for Singapore. And I felt God's presence very strongly in Hall 10, so much so that I was given such renewed vigour when I prayed, or even in worship. I was praying with so much conviction that even I shocked myself. Though I didn't really know what I was praying at times, but it felt so right, because the Lord's presence was reall truly there. Amazing stuff. =)

Well.. I'm forging ahead to school next week.. =) I'll be strong. =)

Dear Mandy,

I went back to VJC for intra Council today, and I can honestly say that I haven't felt this liberated, done so much exercise, nor felt so many emotions in one day all in one go...

I love 20th.
The members of 20th who came today are as follows: Siva, Hui Yi, Kaval, Deepak, Benny, Steffie, Sammie, Joel, Sara, Rachel, Sanjay, David and myself. It was great to see so many 20th, especially Kaval and David whom I haven't seen for a long while... the conversations that we had over prata, as well as over a drink... the reminiscing of moments, even the group talk with Mr. Tan Yew Hwee and the mass dance and cheers towards the end... they spoke of a bond that though significantly less strong, but still of importance in our hearts and our souls. Culminating in the long missed 20th cheer, the council song... i grew to understand and cherish more and more... these friends that I made in my 2 years in VJC, and for some of them... friends probably for life, even.

I really like 25th.
Whenever I see the 25th doing things together, playing or even cheering, i can sense in them an attitude that I really warms my heart. Though I cannot be sure if this feeling is for the whole council, but for some of them, they adopt an attitude of learning, of innocence. They don't stop at the barest of minimums, and they're not too proud to not ask for help. They want to learn, and it shows me that service learning is really an option, and not an obligation. God opened my eyes and let me see that this could be the very last Council that I'm going to be taking care of for a long time coming, and He opened up doors for me. There's a councillor in 25th, Geraldine... She's really a sweet girl. Despite her outwardly happy and joking exterior, I've come to realise that this girl is someone who's actually trying very hard to give her best and to achieve perfection in the things that she does. And amazingly... the Lord opened a door for me to be able to go in and help her in ways that I had never expected that I'd be able to. I really praise God. Then there's also Le-Anne, YuWei, Yiyee amongst others, and I guess that this council, I'm really helping a lot more than I have done for other councils except 20th and 21st... =) Amazing things that God does.

INtra Council has always been a highlight for me, because it's a day whereby we can experience being a student all over again.. using the school facilities, running around the school, meeting my Councillors, like orientation all over again... or back to a day or reminiscing with the Councillors... I believe that there will come a day when nobody from 20th will turn up, seeing how 19th didn't turn up at all today... but we all move on in some way or other. =)

Praise God for memories, and praise God for open doors and windows... =) I do believe that the Lord will use us to bless people... =) I hope I've been just that.

And HELLO GERALDINE!!! =P