Welcome to KE7 VCF

As Promised

2006-07-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Convocations 2006

As promised, here is the slideshow - largest one compiled so far!
Enjoy ;-)

2006-03-11T01:07:00.000-08:00

Congratulations John and Justina

Shots on P/Lumix; piled by Picasa2

May the Lord bless you two as your lives are joined as one in a covenant of love. And may you know the joy and fulfillment that comes from having a marriage where Christ is a constant, loving presence in your home and heart.

2006-02-10T03:12:00.000-08:00

This is the audio recording of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous 'I have a Dream' speech delivered on 1963 in the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC.

Listen to it and be inspired.

Excerpts

" ...We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children..."

" ...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character...."

2006-02-07T22:38:00.000-08:00

Since Valentine's day is round the corner, some quick reading material would warm the atmosphere a little :)

2006-01-25T00:02:00.000-08:00

This is an excellent post to read.

'On God's earth, there are two types of people. Givers and Takers. Givers will give even when they're poor, and the good Lord will often mysteriously place things into their hands, that they may continue giving. Takers, on the other hand, will keep taking, no matter how much wealth they've amassed. You just have to decide which one you want to be. In today's world, many wealthy people have a bad habit of taking, taking, taking, and from people who are poorer than them.'

Its Romantic...

2006-01-17T09:49:00.000-08:00

"Intellectual disgrace
Stares from every human race,
And the seas of pity lie
Locked and frozen in each eye

Follow, poet, follow right
To the bottom of the night
With your unconstraining voice
Still persuade us to rejoice

With the farmyard of a verse,
Make a vineyear of the curse,
Sing of human unsucess
In a rapture of distress

In the deserts of the heart,
Let the healing fountain start
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man how to praise"

Short extract from Wordsworth's The Table Turned

I vowed to make loving people part of my motto of 2006 and I realise loving people is hard especially when sometimes things get emotionally draining and that is when you have to detach yourself a bit so you don't get so sucked up that you lose your passion and drive for life. 2006 has been a beautiful year thus far. Learning not to be so uptight with things, taking things as it comes and learning when its time to step back and say there is only so much I can do.

I'm rediscovering little mysteries, little miracles and little blessings and little guiding thoughts as I preciously flip open my brown little bible every night. In the words of a Cole Porter song performed by Ella Fitzgerald that has been ringing in my head of late, "Let's do it, Let's fall in love". Of course, I don't mean it literally here, but just to fall in love with little things. Things like a neighbour's hello, a little gesture of rememberance, a little word to say you care. In rediscovering the mundane, I think I might be rediscovering life, i hope. :)

** Edit: In my state of sleepiness, this blog entry came to exist on a Ke7 webbie as I mistakenly clicked on the wrong tab. This was meant to go onto my own blog, but since I realised I made a mistake- I figured I'll jus leave this post here so that it will "de-intellectualise" the look of this blog, making it more personal. :)

ireneQ • unravelled: Wake-up call

2006-01-14T00:11:00.000-08:00

ireneQ • unravelled: Wake-up call: "'You need to have faith in the person of Jesus Christ, not in your expectations of Him,' said Pastor Lee Choo. 'Faith is not a matter of getting what you expect; it is God walking with you.'"

Found this so true to our Christian life. Follow the link for the whole blog post.

Something to ponder

2006-01-13T08:16:00.000-08:00

How the Kingdom Comes - Christianity Today Magazine

Too often, of course, the contemporary church simply mirrors the culture. Increasingly, we are less a holy city drawn together around Christ and more a part of the suburban sprawl that celebrates individual autonomy, choice, entertainment, and pragmatic efficiency. These are values that can build highways and commerce, but they cannot sustain significant bonds across cultural divides and between generations. Capitulating to niche demographics and marketing, churches that once nurtured the young, middle-aged, and elderly together, with all of the indispensable gifts that each one brings to the body of Christ, often now contribute to the rending of this intergenerational fabric. If this is a worrisome trend in the social sphere, it is all the more troubling for a body that is constituted by its Lord as a covenantal community.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2005-12-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Just using this space to wish everyone a Blessed Christmas. God bless you! and have a wonderful fullfilling year ahead.
¹¹On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

Matthew 2:11

2005-12-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

Random Talking

hello people!! Hope the holidays are going good for everyone? all saying aye? I'm definitely relishing every bit of this little break that i have. anyway, just wana let everyone know that our dear sister Aurelia is leaving for a mission trip called "Love East Timor" this december holidays. Just wondered whether we wana support her as a KE7Cf and shower her with much needed prayer and concern.

I am not sure how many of us will be willing to support her financially as well, a small love token from our Cf to her. I know many of us are financially strapped but I figured if we splurge less on Christmas, it will be a good opportunity to bless her with something that will sow seeds for the kingdom of God.

She will be going to East Timor from the 13th to 20th December. I am not sure who will be in Singapore on the 13th, cuz unfortunately I wont be ard, but I think it would be great if those who are around, can pray for her before she leaves or even be there at the terminal to see her off.

think about it peeps, and let me know. i will be in singapore till sunday when i'll be off traversing chiangmai. and dont worry i wont forget u ppl whilst i'm spa-ing away or something.. hehs. oh yeah, it would be divine if you guys can pray for me too. i'll be going on hol to chiangmai fr 11th- 16th dec- hopefully i dont catch some avain flu or hurt myself while water rafting! haha. thanks ppl.. and i'll look fwd to seeing some of you guys when i get back home.. :)

Cheerios and Merry holidays!!

Mini Shoutouts:

Josh: When is our CF Party? I am going for this ballet perf near Xmas time and I dont want it to clash with the CF event.. Get back to me asap when you're back fr Anntic!

Going out...

2005-11-12T22:28:00.000-08:00

Check this out. Good reminder...hehe.

Darwin and the Good Samaritan

2005-11-10T18:11:00.000-08:00

Check out the article here

2005-11-01T03:51:00.000-08:00

Found this very cool website about the Bible and science. A pretty good read for those who have some basic knowledge of science. Do you know that a lot of things we were taught in school are actually wrong? Check the following site out: Answers in Genesis

2005-10-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

Walk with Him everyday
Talk with Him all the way
For He cares for us
His name is Jesus

Run away when you are tempted
Run to Him when you are hurt
For knows our every weakness
And he promise to never leave us

Look to Him when you are lost
Leave your burdens at the cross
For to Him you are precious
And His gaze on you never fazes

When blessings freely flow
When your faith continues to grow
Remember Him who blesses you
And may all glory to Him be due

Why do we love?

2005-10-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I just came upon an interesting article. There was once a christian in hall said we shouldn't celebrate Christmas and Easter as they are drawn from paganism. Some of you might know about this. Anyway should Christians take part in Easter and Christmas celebrations? Click on the link to find out more!

http://www.rbc.org/questions/answer.php?catagory=ethics&folder=celebrations&file=easterchristmas.xml

2005-10-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

Gossip

This link seems to provide some useful thoughts to bounce off one's wall regarding Gossip.

http://www.christianwomentoday.com/workplace/gossip.html

Enjoy this one folks!

History maker

2005-08-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

Hi, guys...Just to fill up the space and put some life here.

Something to ponder about:

In hall, we learn about other people, about ourselves and life in general. But even more so for Christians, this is an opportunity for us to learn all the above, in relation to a vibrant and living faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here our walk is tested by fire, in anticipation for the working world. Here our resolve is moulded, in anticipation for adult life. Here our thinking is sharpened, in anticipation for the challenges of the future.

Lest we become a people swallowed up by the currents of an unbelieving world, let us remind ourselves and our brothers and sisters of John 17:16-19

¹⁶They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷Sanctify^[a] them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

This is Jesus prayer for us. Let us not grieve Him.

We are history makers!

2005-08-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

Great post Faith!

An important opinion for everyone, especially first years who have just come into hall. But while Faith has voiced about relationships, maybe I'll voice about something else, but related to hall life.

Business.

Aaah...we all are busy bees. Not only do we need to worry about our studies, in order to stay in hall the following year, stay back points need to be accumulated, and the only way is to participate in hall activities. That's the barebones of the system. In time, we all will be in the thick of the action, studying in the day, and hall activities after that to the wee hours of the morning.

But of course, hall activies doesn't stop when the semester ends, but continues even throughout the holidays. Big comms like XQRJ, Hall Play and ORC work throughout the breaks. The workload can break people, and it has.

So the basic question is: How do I keep my sanity?

To be honest, I have never come close to the point of breaking down or burning out. Firstly, it must have been the grace of God persevering me. Secondly, I'm not a very talented or outstanding hostelite. So I guess, without the attention, people don't expect too much of me.

To the first years who will chance upon this blog, I'm a fourth year senior right now. Let me humbly offer some of my two cents of advice. Pls feel free to disregard it.

1) Ditch the innate fear of not being able to stayback.

This is natural, but know that first and foremost, it is our Father in heaven who provides us with everything, including a roof above our heads and a social life. I know of people who get fed up with hall life and move on to other residences, and their life become so much fuller. Don't be taken in by the lie: No hall= no 'life'. There are so many fullfilling things organized by outside bodies by which we can grow and develop as people. Hall life is a special experience, but it is not the only experience.

I for one, have never truly thrown away this fear. But this is what I have observed by looking at the life of seniors who have gone before me-The do not complain about tiredness, do not in general bitch about people and are more joyful in whatever they do.

Do not let this fear manipulate you into doing stuff you do not really want to. It will cripple you.

2) Know how to say, " No!"
This comes naturally from the first point. Also, one could say, it becomes easier to say "no" if we are not tied down by fear.

There's not much to elaborate about this point actually. By simply saying, "no", we avoid a lot of unneccesary workload.

Sometimes, even though the activity may seem fun at first glance, it is always advisable to give up a little excitement for the sake of our sanity.

And in fact, upon joining a comm or group, knowing how to say, "no" (wisely) saves you heartache and bitterness of not being able to complete a job or assignment.

3) Never use your 'busyness' as a badge of honour

You may have probably heard the phrase: " Full time hostelite, part time student." Of course it is a light hearted comment, something used to spice up dinner conversations.

But behind it lies it's deceit and danger. The lure of hall activities is that by 'doing things for the hall', one gains not only stayback points, but social status. It is not unlike the chase for status once we graduate and step into the working world. Having our name mentioned in dinner conversations is nice, but it's lure is dangerous and subtle. Be wary, don't be sucked into a popularity contest you do not have the strength to win.

Know yourself and your limitations.

Three points should do for now, welcome to KE7 hall. Cheers!

Uliang

2005-07-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

So Baby Talk, Me.

In a social linguistics class I took before, we observed human speech patterns and it was noted that "baby talk" was a prominent feature among dating couples in particular, as a social marker for affection. Affection is something each and every human craves for. From the first loving touch by our parents when we enter the world down to simple gestures of care and concern we receive from our friends, we absorb attention showered us with open arms. It's inevitable that we look for love, especially when our home is miles away, the fearful thing is when we start looking for love in all the wrong places. What is love, anyway? Do we kid ourselves when every fleeting hearbeat is love? How can you love someone without getting to know him or her on a personal level? Just because he/she looks pleasant, sounds nice and has good qualities. Excuse me, how long have you known the person? 1hour? 1 day? 10 days? 1 month? The world speaks of: Love at first sight. Cynics balk and say- Lust at first sight and to a certain extent, I agree. It's beyond my comprehension how someone can "love" another individual without understanding the person for who he/ she is- good characteristics, flaws and idiosyncrasies. It's the whole package darling, not just the good bits. I don't think the love that we see in the movies or kind of love that society speaks about is really what love is all cracked out to be, at least i know that isn't the Lord's definition. Love- We think we know it or are we actually all like Shakespeare's deluded Romeo when he first cast his eyes on Rosaline- merely an individual, in love with love?

"Whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness and equality
Instead of spreading love, we're spreading anomosity
Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling down
It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feeling under
I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found

People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning: Where is the love?"
"Where is the love?", Black Eyed Peas

The catchy rap song, "Where is the love?" by Black Eyed Peas was on my mediaplayer repeat mode for a solid one week when it was at the peak of its popularity. It's a song that I feel that quite aptly encapsulated a question I ask myself when there is a dire need for peace and charity in this broken land. Where is the love? The answer is so simple yet it requires a great sacrifice on our part. The one and true love is found in God- our Father, our Saviour. Yet, the simple act- Loving God, is oddly enough the hardest thing for us to do.

Once you love God, loving Man (platonic/romantic) becomes so much easier to manage and handle. Oddly enough, our society's take on love has gone in all the wrong directions, it doesn't help that its rather glamarous these days for one to be sans religion either. I was recently posed the difficult question about why some christians end up in unequally yoked relationships. Despite having bore testament to such situations numerous times, I was reduced to mere murmers, rather stumped when it came to offering advice. Affairs of the heart is never an easy line particularly when one is more inclined to using his/her heart than her head. Keeping a logical mind has never been easier. It is pertinent that we do not downplay the insidious destructive power of worldliness, for nothing dilutes our ardour for the Lord like the disintegrating culture it propogates.

How does one define "unequally yoked"? Simply put, it means getting involved with someone on a romantic basis who does not share the same faith as us. However, there are also those that are more purist in nature might even urge us to take this one step further and urge our fellow brothers and sisters to look for partners that share at least the same sincerity in the christian faith. After all, there are some out there who are only Christians in name. I think before one heads into the relationship boat and join the "happy gang" sitting merrily on it, we ought to ask ourselves (as Michael Buble calls it) when this "crazy lil thing called love" strikes us, do we compromise on our faith?

I think the Scripture quite clearly dictates the Christian's stance towards the anti-God system of our world is clear. The Lord encourages his followers "do not belong to this world" (Jn 17:16). The apostle John instructs: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world" (1 Jn 2:15). Such is the Bible's unequivocal view. Christian obedience demands that one avoid the contaminating influence of the world. I was deeply impacted and humbled by the essence of the Oswald Chambers online QT that I was reading and I wish to share it with you to deliberate upon: "Intellectual darkness is the result of ignorance but Spiritual darkness is the result of disobedience."

A dear sister-in-christ once told me: "We end up forgetting our first love- God." This statement I think aptly sums up the reason why many hearts are broken, why our hearts stray, why we land ourselves in unequally yoked relationships and even on certain occasions causing ourselves unnecessary self-inflicted hurt. It is my earnest and sincere prayer that the next time we singa a love song to God, the words will be ring more poignantly within us:

"Now I know I love you
I need you
Though my world may fall
I'll never let You Go
My Saviour, my closest Friend
I wil worship you until the very end."
"Jesus, Lover of my soul", Hillsongs

For those who are already in relationships, for those of us that might be in one in time to come, may we all hold each other accountable, constantly reminding each other that the greatest lover in our lives is God and before we take any step, we must always lift them up to the Lord in prayer.

To God be the Glory!

2005-07-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU!

Thanks for coming and making my commencement such a memorable one :)

Agape,

Siaw May

The balanced Christian life

2005-07-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Balanced Christian Life

The balanced christian life involves four aspects.
1.The Word
2.Prayer
3.Fellowship
4.Evangelism

All for components are essential for our spiritual growth.
We cannot place too much emphasis on one and neglect another.

Without the Word, where do we find wisdon? How would we know His will? How can we be prepared to face adversities?
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:
for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua1:8

Without prayer, how is there a proper relationship with God? Where do we find our strenght and how would we win in spiritual warfare?
6 Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4: 6-7

Without fellowship, how do we mantain faithful to God? How can we encourage our fellow bethren? How can we keep our flame and zeal burning?
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10: 23-25

Without evangelism, how is the world going to hear of the Good News? How is people's life going to change?
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1: 16

The first 2 aspects involves our relationship with God; The last 2 on the other hand involves our relationship with fellow men.

Each of these 4 aspects should have a place in our lives if we are to grow to be a mature christian.

2005-06-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

Am I any different? Are you any different?

~Pause. Take a look around you. ~

How are we different from our non christian peers? Do we grope around aimlessly, hoping to catch hold of something significant...something that define our lives and our identity? Have we loss our sense of purpose, our vision, our faith...? Is that why sometimes we get ourselves so busy with everything else except prayer, His Word, fellowship with believers and evangelism?

I struggle.

More often than not I find myself preoccupied with my shortcomings and limitation. Never satisfied with what I have or who I am. Always thinking about my pass failures and regrets. Comparing my abilities with others only make things worse.

For some time, I struggled with the issue of living (Not that I was contamplating suicide...don't worry!). To me(then) life was just plain ordinary. I didn't like that. If it is true, then life is a bore. Each step is so predictable. Like everybody else, I was born into this world, taken care of and schooled. Each step of those years were to prepare me for the 'real world', where I am to work and survive. And to make life more 'meaningful', I could get married, have kids and watch them grow. After that, or hopefully, I could happily retire and die peacefully...IS THAT ALL to life?!

If I have not found a satisfactory answer to this question I would rather keep all this to myself. But thanks be to God! I have obtained a satisfactory answer (which is enough for me at least!)The answer to this question was not answered by my church pastor, not by any elder nor great teacher of the law...instead it was an experience God put me through. Nothing spectacular, but it revealed a simple truth that I have been searching for.

It was around May last year where I went for a white water rafting is Sabah with some friends when I realised my watch 'drowned' in the river. It didn't work after it went through all the violent splashes of waves and considering the amount of time i spent underwater...(I even lost my specs to the raging river during that occasion.)

I was sad. My watch would be useless to me now, I thought. On the trip back to the hotel I pondered. And a thought struck me. "Look, my watch is ordinary. Just like all other watches. perhaps some are more expensive, nicer looking even. But they all play the same function: To tell time! But my watch is spoilt. Hence there is no use of it anymore. Its worth nothing more than a junk to be thrown away."

Bringing this thought further, using watches as a metaphor, we are similar to watches. The purpose of a watch is to tell time. What about us? We are made by God for God! We were made to worship Him. That is our purpose! We can be ordinary. Perhaps some of us are prettier, smarter or more talented. But we all have one primary role: To glorify Him forever. And if we can achive that purpose in our lives, that would be enough, for that is what matters to Him; that is the one thing that counts! However, if we lose sight of our purpose. We are of no use to Him. Our lives would count for nothing just like the spoilt watch...

Brothers and sisters, don't be discourage! If you think you are ordinary and that life is just a chore, think of God. I urge you, look to the cross...look to Jesus.

We can be ordinary. And there is nothing wrong with it. We can still make a difference. It is more important for us to be found faithful in our journey with God. Lets' make Worship our primary goal in our lives.

Before i end, let me just tell you that my watch revived! It stated working the very next day. Its amazing, but yes, I now also see that God is a God of second chances. If you have strayed away, come home! God can raise the dead (even 'dead' watches!), I'm sure He can do the same for your faith too!

God bless!
1 Corinthians 4:2 - Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Tongue exercise

2005-06-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

They say that kissing involves tongue excerise...but excuse me, I was being impertinent.

Interesting that the more 'mature' one (i.e. the model) got a 'less demanding(?)' scene. The guy just stroked her hair while the 'innocent' little doe was instructed to do 'heavy duty'. So much for lost innocence...I guess the filmmakers were trying to make a pretty big statement, a very big splash: It is more erotic to see a young girl lose her innocence. The director and the scriptwriter are not dumb, they know what people want, and how to deliver.

The industry players know what the consumer wants and gives to them. Media thus becomes a reflection of society in this sense. The challenge really, is that when we stand up, we are standing up to a consumer society who pays the director for his work. Little chance that the director will be impressed. He can always say, " Who's paying?" It's not about the money, but about the power money gives. The consumer now can demand 'professionalism' from the actress i.e. that she submits to the will of the director, who actually submits to the taste of society.

Standing up for Christ (not Christian Ethics by the way) involves challenges the darkness, and the double faced deceit of society. It is not easy. We maybe sucked into that very web of deciet that we so try to defeat with our criticism. For different people, it's not a matter of speaking up and out, but submission may be the lesser of two evils for many reasons. For instance, the 15 year old girl, it is probably from the fear of offending her superiors and getting scolded, but for the 21-22 ish girl, it is a different story.

Her's is the story of fragmentation. Self-image is cleary important to her (she is after all a model). Consumer perception is the reality to her. Her professional image must be crafted, she is a commodity. It is crude but true, her actions in her working life determine her continued employment in that area. In modelling, the base assumption is the commodification of the human body, it is a marketable product. Therefore, she is split down in two: One, the model-her professional image, the second, the real her who enjoys the fruit of her labour.

Those of us who criticize her do so because we see no split between the professional life and the real us. But in her line of work, such a split is required of her. She must do so. One part of her submits to consumer wants, the other is part of that whole system. For us, what we do in our workplaces reflects on our inner self. But maybe for her, this does not follow, she may as well think," Who I am in my working capacity does not necessarily reflect the way I am in day to day social intercouse." So don't think that any guy can just stroke her hair even though she allows it on the film set.

The true center of our critique actually lies in this question: Should films, theatere, dance, modelling and any sort of performing arts be erotic? We live in a non-christian world, even if we qualify our 'yes' with 'God made sexuality good', the world need not qualify their 'yes'. And so the inevitable clash. If we feel that we need to enter the arts, we must be prepared to submit under such people, otherwise we should not even be in that line of work.

Modern media is erotic only because modern society is first deeply eroticized. We, who have tasted the glimpse of heaven, are in tension with society. But yet we are also part of it. No easy answers here: Some will say that Christians should not do performing arts, some prefer a sanitized performing arts, and finally some will plunge head on into it. Romans 14 comes into play here...

Think abt it

2005-06-14T01:41:00.000-07:00

ChewBites

As cliched as this sounds, as we enter the real world, it is inevitable that our life as a Christian will be put to the test. Christian Ethics becomes more pertinent. Enough talk about making Christianity relevant, let us be brave enough to confront these issues with a stand. Just this week, a friend of mine is the casting director for an upcoming tv drama that is probably targetted at teens begged me for help, so i grudgingly agreed to be an "extra" or "kelafeh" for the tv drama. During the 1 day shoot, I met various people and had engaged in quite a number of serious conversations. However what struck me most were 2 girls that I met from a modelling/ productions agency.

One girl is 21+ turning 22 soon. The other barely 15. Both were asked to star in particular "pub" scenes which required them to act as the current squeeze of some guy. Both girls are sweet and nice, no offence. Still, as a Christian, should one be involved in the media such as theatre or television, where do you draw the line between "professionalism" and "too much". I distinctly remember being involved in a musical production once, I had to be a barmaid- thank God there was no sleazy or provocative moves. Just some sashaying, sultry music and moves and the occasional tapping of a guy's shoulder. Still had there been "more" in store, such as a physically intimate scene such as fondling of hair, body or worst still- a kissing scene... Where would you as a Christian draw the line? I know that many of you Ke7Vcf-ers reading this now will probably never enter media related professions (by sheer fact, most of you are in non-arts faculties) but do take time to think about it...

Is it about the act, is it about the age or is it both? For those of you who have 15yr old turning 16yr old sisters, how would you react if she had to engage in a professional kissing scene for a very legitimate tv drama? Barely done with 'O' levels, face caked with makeup, decked in dangly accessories and a highly trendy outfit that I only dared to wear at age 19+ (at the risk of being called "brazen" at home) heading straight with cameras rolling, boom mic up close, a hundred eyes gawking or staring- for a kissing scene. "There goes her first kiss", J commented. Internally, I thought "There goes her innocence". I spoke to her a couple of times in the midst of filming, during on the spot rehearsals etc, she's a lovely girl. Rather doed-eyed individual with bright hopes, she didn't come from a bad school, her school is actually pretty decent. A rather soft spoken girl with demured speech, your good 15 year old girl. I was once a 15 year old girl, unlike her I was just scrawny, bespectacled and often scruffy-looking. Still, had I been in her shoes at 15, would I as a Christian agree to such a physically intimate scene that invokes much instant physical gratification and even glamourising lust? Would one be naive/ innocent enough and let it pass thinking it to be the "norm" in a society that constantly modernising and developing and going the way America has travelled some decade or two before?

And there was this 21 turning 22 year old, our peer, someone just about our age. One can hardly call her naive, she isn't new to the industry of media. She made the covers on "Funkygrad", modelled for various fashion shows, magazines and photoshoots. Yet, what troubles me is how one can allow a distant stranger whose name you barely know stroke your hair oh-so-affectionately? I am not chanting the return of the medieval or middle ages. Instead, what I am advocating is that we become more aware of the world standards around us and how Christians stand in comparison with the world. Theatre or Film are artistic mediums that we can use to glorify God, through our bodies and voices. However, if these very temples of God is used for objectification purposes that perpetrate worldly values that lie in great contradiction to the kind of doctrine that Christianity, isn't it time we started swinging alarm bells in our heads?

As a fellow sister in christ, I urge you to take a stand and make it known. Too many times, we are afraid of standing up for what we believe, lest we be seen as "uncool" "not hip", "pious" and other names. Or do we simply blame our "Asian-ness" or our "reticent nature", its often upsetting to see many ethically debatable issues past by our eyes often undiscussed or at best whispered behind closed doors. I am not asking for matyrdom, I am asking for the Christian Voice. Where has it gone or has the convincing theories of post modernism sucked us all in? Hopefully, this platform will serve as an active place for forum discussion- as artists, as engineers, as life scientists, as mathematicians, as doctors, and above all else, as dear brother and sisters of christ congregating under the Ke7 Vcf Umbrella to make each other grow stronger in faith.

What would be an appropriate Christian action? A media artiste who was a regular attendee of Sunday Worship services at my previous church once told me about the various means in which she dealt with castings and shows that she was offered as an artiste. She said that she bravely told the then- SBC, now TCS that she would only star in certain television drama serials and would have nothing to do with joss stick burning, incense, idol worship and if possible no sexually arousing scenes, that would have caused her to be axed from many productions, but till this day, she manages to survive on whatever roles she's given doing it to the best of her ability and God has seen her through the past decade in a media industry where artistes come and fade away.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given unto you" Matthew 6:33

Even as we continue on our spiritual journey with the Lord, this deeply relational Father that we serve and worship, may we continue to draw strength from one another, challenge one another, keep one another on our toes lest we slacken in our spiritual hunger and thirst, and more importantly doing our best so that the others that walk behind us will find us faithful.

Hello

2005-06-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hellos

Many thanks to the pioneering inquisitive batch of visitors. Should you have any suggestions on how to beautify the site, leave a tag and I'll try to make the site as reader friendly as possible. Alternatively, should any of you have recommended christian site links. Don't be afraid to let me know as well.

Cheers!

Stranger in the night

2005-06-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

Huh? what's this, a new blog in town? U-Liang left his paw print here.

Testing Post

2005-06-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

This is the testing post for the Ke7 Blog. :)