Criticism

Continued from yesterday's post, a pithy little story told by Ps Ed thats quite a keeper:

>>>>

There was once a wise pastor. One day, this pastor was approached by one of his church members. The church member earnestly said to him:

"I have only one talent, and I want to use it to serve the church"

"Oh? and what talent would that be?"

"Criticism."

"....How can I best make use of my talent?"

The wise pastor thought for a moment. Then, he turned to the church member and said:

"In the bible, the story is told of another man who also only had one talent." (nb: matt 25)

"...the man dug a hole in the ground and buried it"

"...Go and do likewise."

Of Promotion, Parables and Passion

As the work week draws to a close, todays entry is just to give thanks and reflect on this leg of the journey. While most of my focus was working out church and family, some things have crept up on me - good things that should one warrant a stop and a few 'thank you guys' and 'thank you God's. So here goes:


I've been confirmed - and can drop the title of 'mgt trainee'. While work wise, I'll just continue plugging away at what I'm already doing, it does mark a transition into permanancy. I'm still within a little time frame I prayed to God about, I don't have any plans to move anytime soon, I've been blessed with a really good manager and work is actually pretty fun - what more can a man ask? :) Thank You, Dad.

Music wise, I've just advanced a grade too... but the going is a bit rough - I left today's lesson with more notes than a level 4 uni module! I appreciate Bong though, who - true to form - packed in theory and concepts rather than rote learning.

<random bass muse>
Bassists are one of the few people who learn how to run before they learn how to walk.
</random bass muse>

Looking forward to digesting the material on walking,
a new scale, some new insight into modes, practical tips
on developing musicality and the cool ideas he played over one of the progressions on our set. Musical goodness that helps one
along to reach that place where the music of the hands matches the song
in the heart :) I feel a bit inadequate to play most of the stuff, but the feeling I get is something like a loving artisan or sculptor who just received a set of new tools :)

Emceed for the company d&d too... for the first time. Thankful for the stretching that comes with that, and it I'm especially glad there wasn't any dubious stuff I had to say. I guess a small part of me still wishes I could talk about God, pray and maybe do a little altar call, but well, I dunno. Lets see how things shape up. There were a few very nice moments though... and these will probably be the only things I'll remember in a couple of weeks time:
- when the CEO generously gave extra prizes from his own pockets... nice of him :) its a wise and good man to share when you have plenty.
- the tea lady won two prizes on her birthday, and the old driver won one. they both looked so happy :)
- some of the more reserved ones spent money and hired costumes! (we had a cultural night theme) when we sent them the photos, they were so excited too! stuff to show the family back home :) nice.. :)

Thanks for all that too Dad :)


Meeting quite a number of new people around the workplace and in church, and I guess its no coincedence that James was the book that caught my eye this season. Taming the tongue is always a biggie. There is a place for contructive criticism, but one should be in the business of building up, not tearing down - I can't think of a single situation offhand that I felt 'hmm, that person should be criticised more'... but loads of times when I think many people could use a simple, sincere word to tell them 'hey, what you did was good'.

Ohhh.. a parable Ps Ed told the church comes to mind, shall blog it soon - that one warrants another entry :p


On my reading-lately list: Wild At Heart. A very passionate, soul stirring book. More on that next time too. Its mooornnningg... yawwn...

Of Promotion and Parables

Today's first bass lesson since advancing a grade was a fruitful one. True to form, Bong packed a truckload of theory on walking bass, including a new scale, some new insight into modes and practical tips on developing musicality. In short, musical goodness that helps one along to reach that place where the music of the hands matches the song in the heart :) I feel a bit inadequate to learn this stuff, with so much I have yet to master... but

Today also marked Company

Ps Ed, criticism

Omega

Christmas

Christmas crept up on me this year, and then pounced on me in a flurry of activity over the Christmas weekend.

Finishing Well

Today marked my 26th year of life on earth :) What a year it has been... I'm thankful for all that has taken place... but before I get carried away on that thought I think I shall save the reflections till the end of the year :)

Today, met dad to make contact in the early afternoon, which is always a little bit mind bending, but dad is dad, so we went for it. I understand a little bit more of my own background after the conversation, and am learning to draw lines and get my mind round the current state of affairs, which are all good things :)

Took a while to 'recover' from the meeting and the fallout the accompanies it, and felt a little down at midday. But soldiered on to bring a colleague to a christmas musical near her place. I really enjoy this peranakan lady's company. She might not be the best at operating a pc, but she's direct, frank, generous and such an awfully good cook that she's spoiling us in the office! I mean - its not just that she makes a mean 'curry pok', but once she actually made dumplings ('ba-zhang'), banana leaf and all!

:) Im glad she could come, its been a long time since she's been to church.

Thank God for meeting me at the musical too... was feeling kinda alone, and it was bugging me wondering if my heart was in for an inexorable hardening, between marketplace life and family issues. What good is a minister if he is disconnected from God's heart and his own?

But the musical really revived me. The already-beautiful soaring voices and harmonies were made even more so because they were declaring the glory and love of God that led to Christmas. And it never fails to touch something in me when I see a church come together to do a production like this. The intertwining of talents, service and commitment to God never fails to paint quite a picture. Sitting at the very last row, a felt God whisper the title of the musical - 'this is my wonderous gift to you today'.

Thank you Lord. Thank you Dad :) For helping a special day finish well.

To anyone who might read this, thanks for your cards, smses and well wishes. Appreciate your thoughts and friendship :)

Grooving Hard

I was chatting with my manager and I think we both feel a little punctured after the adrenaline surrounding last week's event - the adjectives we came up with were "dreary, under the weather, punctured, near-hibernation etc.

This slightly bleah week had its highlight though - Yesterday evening was spent meeting with a few members of soul2soul, the upcoming forerunner artiste, at Timbre! The band isn't at full strength yet - the drummer just passed the audition - and we're rushing to tie down the rehearsal dates, but all of us present were familiar faces, and I'm so looking forward to kicking off this new project to reach the many young adults that are sliding away in the workplace.

God, I'm glad You allowed our paths to cross :) The thought that advancing your work in such a fulfilling (and downright fun) way can't help but bring a smile to my face :)

As one of bro P's church mates remarked - "May the kingdom be multiplied through your "version of discipleship",
which is creative and rockin' cooool :)) Our God is a creative God --
there's definitely more than just one way of spreading the gospel!

Whoo hoo.. yess! :p

:)

Anyways, pubbers we aren't (I ordered my usual cuppa), but its a joy to take in good live music, which often serves as inspiration to develop our programs. On this occasion, EIC was playing, and man, they were grooving hard! Full band setup, using gd ol' miked fenders, marshalls and ampegs, tight drum and bass and fronted by the charismatic rjc-teacher-by-day.

As the night whiled away, the Timbre owner joined them for a jam and played the most killer blues on an acoustic guitar and harmonica I've heard in a long while. A little later, our band manager's friend was invited upstage to take a few keyboard solos which left most of the patrons bobbing to the music. And over the course of the night we enjoyed the innumerable little things that would make the heart of any muso glad - the volumes of silent communication that passed easily among the band members, the full 6 piece outfit grooving in unison, the near-perfect house mix, the personality of each band member shining thru the way they play and the musical moments that gave our ears sheer pleasure.

I like :)