Project Serve

So much has happened during this week.. i was especially captivated with arranging music.. i think i did at least 4 arrangements. Of which 1 was a composition.

These arrangements somehow were still much more simpler than the day Roy (Chang) asked me to craft out the arrangement for gates of splendor 2 years back. It’s  always easier to start from scratch and create something from nothing, or with small ideas. But to write out note for note something that was already done in full… I was seriously daunted with the process.. but now as i look back, there were many lessons learnt, of which i think the most important is - i cannot do it. hence, thoughts will really revolve around the theme of “gates” in this post.

“Live to the hilt of every situation you believe to be in the will of God” - Jim Elliot

This was my favourite quote in the process of this splendor programme. I remembered how 2 years back i merely submitted a very rough sketch, but i was amazed how sarabelle and randy worked out the keyboard and drums part very quickly.. steven and roy practically had no problems after 2 rehearsals.. vocals were steady like dunno what.. haha

with that, we brought it to this year’s garage yet again.. and with a new team, w/o belle, randy and roy.. we were really struggling in the first few rehearsals.. i was thinking how to continue? 

honestly until today, i dunno how we managed to put up the story of the 5 missionaries in such an amazing way.. only by God grace

Thank God for putting Roy Chong in my life… its amazing to see how God can use drums to change a life.. through discipline, teaching, correcting, faithfulness training.. i thank God for how Roy was willing to admit things that needed repentance and grow on it.

Esther was a killer on the keys.. well though that took really quite a while.. thankful also that sarabelle came back to help her.. 

Justin’s case was especially memorable.. how the army nearly tied him down on the performance day, only to let him go.. after much prayers and supplications.. thank God

I always feel bad thinking of Steven, hai.. always rush from work no dinner.. can really feel his heartbeat for the work and young pple.. just look at the emails he reply to Roy! and playing dumb.. haha.. now uncle kabu also young pple

thanks to leaders like leo em and randy.. without them, things would have been much harder..

O LORD, teach me that nothing can be done without you.. teach me to fear you in the right way. 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Derrick-Lim/27122639694

If the object of evangelism is to touch the conscience, how can we hypocritically reach the conscience - RZ

The preacher today who is in the ministry for silver or for self-service is doomed to disappointment because the more you long for it, the more it eludes you, the more you pursue Him, He will bless you. - RZ

The problem of Christianity is not that it has been tried and found wanting, but that it has been found difficult and left untried. - G.K Chesterton

All the moral laws in the world cannot change the heart of man. - RZ

If we’re going to rescue to flesh, we’re going to have to work on the spirit. - General MacArthur at the surrender of the Japanese during WWII

Actually the term “major” always intrigues me as I wonder how many overtones are entailed in this context. 

1. It is major because it is what we are majoring as a university student, i.e. like how one would major in psychology in an FASS faculty or chemical engineering in engineering faculty, we major in percussion performance in the conservatory

2. It is major because it has the highest number of MCs, either 6 or 7 MCs per sem, depending on jury or not

3. major because we get the most stressed from the high demands of our personal tutors

4. major because you can fail everything else and do well for major and people still respect you as a musician, it think

5. major because many musicians will intend to continue in that major after graduation. something like a life calling, it’s like, “if its not __________ (instrument) then there’s nothing else i can do..”

6. major because it is major, as in.. something big.. imagine, an exam every week kind of feeling, so you think studying music is fun?? well think again! 

haha.. actually it is lar.. and it took me quite a while to get to this stage.. I’m thankful that God is helping me explore how more and more things i learn in school can be used in the performing arts ministry in syfc, church and beyond.. currently just started my gary chester drum lessons.. stressed? yes, fun? ok lar.. valuable? absolutely.. that’s where satisfaction for me comes, making much of Christ through the things i do..

was reading one of tungma’s post, it was quite sometime ago but i missed it.. i nearly teared towards the end and I’m thankful for parents who spanked me when i was young.. recently piper contrasted in a podcast between spanking children and telling them to go one corner and reflect - it was quite funny how he described the latter as cruel.. postmodern (claptrap-my words) thinking.. hahaha.. 

so mum and dad.. if somehow you’ll be reading this.. wanna just let you know how much i thank God for parents like you who brought me up to taught me to fear, taught me how to fear the Lord.. Thanks mum for always reminding me of passages from the Bible, classic chinese verses especially before i leave home.. and dad.. i always wonder why on some sundays you will remind me to go to church.. God is real huh? haha

right.. gonna warm up for major lesson now.. may the major that i do now translate to truly major things that has eternal value, surpassing the major as defined by society, and escalating on the hilt of every major situation graciously given by Jesus Christ .

3 tests

2 performances

1 photo-shoot rehearsal

4 rehearsals

2 wakes? (if i include last week’s and depending whether i can go down tonight or tomorrow)

Am currently in acquaintance with the sensation  ”exam time brain spasm” aftermath kind of thing if you know what i mean. Think it is the first time i’m feeling it after entering into the conservatory. I just talked to my lecturer and yes indeed, “Huge huge mistake” were his words.. I kinda misread the question and all were gone.. but if it is any encouragement, he said he knew i understood the concepts, which i personally feel were as important. haha.. looks like no more A for this semester for that module.. that being the first paper, i took some great pains trying to realign myself for the next two.. which i don’t have much to speak about, doesn’t mean it went well though. haha

I took those thoughts about getting not as good results as i could and compared to Jesus being my treasure, over lunch. I figured out i could compile all my chapman songs and play it on shuffle. Not that I’m surprised about that in case some of you are gasping now, it’s just that i’ve never thought to arrange the repertoire as such. Human duty to work hard for an exams aside, i wondered how i can be telling myself that Jesus is my only treasure and that is enough. The emphasis is on the word enough. I’ve always wondered what my response will be when this streak of exceptional academic results end. In some sense I wished I had never climbed so high in this school so i wouldn’t need to struggle with such hypothetical situations, like when i was prior to and in  JC education. 

I still cannot figure out a clear response to mediocre grades. Knowing the correct Biblical response is one thing. Executing that response is another. Perhaps I really need to go through that to know the answer.