New Year Resolutions 2017

as we step into 2017 and leave 2016 behind.
there's something about transiting the boundary of a year's timeline into the next that gives one the sense of extra will power to do something differently with life.

then again if whatever situations around us change but we don'tt change internally, it doesn't matter even if we are uprooted from our current life and placed in a totally new clean slate, because the issues in the heart haven't be dealt with yet

anyways a few things i'd like to improve for the year to come is

1. have more genuine conversations and experience joy by being present in the moment, cutting down on unnecessary meetings and be actively prioritizing the important worthwhile stuff with time slots.

2. be less critical, skeptical, slanderous and live a more positive and optimistic life, being mindful of the words that i utter and my hold each negative thought accountable to the Holy Spirit for rebuke.

3. not shy away from the advancement of technology but instead embrace it as a useful servant that makes life more efficient, ensuring it does not become the master of me.

yeah i think about three would be enough. for now... until something else pops into mind.

a few thoughts from the day
6.30 wake up, snooze for 20 minutes
wore my best for church, just slacks shoes and the grey 'no need iron' shirt.
went to church early to drive the van out, 20 minutes before the set time. (i think i really want to improve on my timing for appointments too) so here's a fourth resolution:

4. be early for meetings, and not rush to places.

i arrived early at kg E, picked up 3 people, asked how many i should be taking, the reply was two, so i ASSUMED i had everyone and just left for church only to find out later that i left someone behind (not negligence), but it could have been prevented if i waited my due time.

anyways i went back to pick her up and we arrived in time for service.

PONDER: i think i know why i can't remember things so well in this "millennial" age. its because that is an inadequacy of time for the information to settle into the brain to be store properly long term. (and hence knowledge cannot be used by wisdom for any application). how to solve the problem? don't overload the brain by constantly reading a flow of new information. but instead take articles in bite sizes and allow the meaning being the words digest and settle in. i know i try to do speed reading alot, but honestly, it isn't very "efficient" as i thought it would be. the "saved" time doesn't make up for not being to recall or understand whatever i've read just moments ago, let alone through the day or even my life. -end ponder-

today's sermon was about being thankful.
we should give thanks even before going through an event, not only after.
we should give thanks, not because of what God has done or what He is going to do, but because of who He is.

anyways i left early to pick up the students for BM service, although i went out early, yet i still couldn't get everyone at 11am because i had to take two trips. the first trip was early, but the second one was quite a rush. and i feel bad, because they are university students that were told to wait at 10.20 but i arrived to pick them up at 11.50. a whole thirty minutes of waiting at the bus stop and having to skip the "fusion time" or "coffee corner food", rushing straight into the first songs on the day without time to "settle down" into the chair and calm one's self in the presence of God.

this is an issue with the pick up transportation time. that sometimes i feel is not my responsibility in setting. but we all know i shouldn't push it to others what i should be giving feedback to fro improvement. and trying to live it out.

really glad that jim liew could come and join =) thanks iggy for bringing him along.

the next issue actually happened when sending the people back.

WISDOM: send the people with less and nearer places first. and then only the further ones. this is to prevent the second round from waiting too long. (almost a whole hour!)

the it was timeto have lunch with the darling.

badminton with li ann, angie (from tawau) really good, elisha, JC, issac and esther lee.
man i got to improve on my recovery after each hit, footwork to cover the court, placement of the ball at the near side of the net and defense of incoming smashes.

2 guys vs 2 girls, we lost =P humiliating. haha nah, just kidding, we had fun.

had a really nice dinner at Thien Thien in gaya street.

had a good talk on the way home:

TRUTH: knowing that God is real is not enough. we must experience Him, then only is there an enabled power for change to happen.

while walking Happy the cutest dog,
i realized a few things. sometimes she goes to paces that i dont want to go, and she doesn't follow me. but i tell her i will take her to those places some other time.

i think its like me following God. He knows the best path for me at the current time, but i still choose to walk other ways. although i know obedience to Him, i will grow and one day be able to properly walk those paths. there is no shortcut.

i wan't to be a good dad next time. and i'm worried i can't balance love and discipline; i don't want a spoil brat nor a traumatized kid. extremes aside, i want a balanced child that knows his parent's love him the most, yet have boundaries that are there for his sake.

should i be reading "parenting books" on how to do this?
nah, i think the Bible will do just fine for the job. its the manual for life after all right.

home, spent some time with the housemates just chatting, face to face.
laughed, smiles. joy.

took a nice shower, tying this journal log out. going to read a book and sleep soon.

happy new year peeps, may you have a good one ahead.

GRATEFUL FOR: the ability to drive the van, to hold a badminton racket, to have a place to sleep.

i love you, both of you.