Encouraging Presence

I was reading The Sarah Chong's blog and I couldn't help but feel encouraged. Even though she was talking about her struggle with her walk, I just kept on feeling more and more encouraged.

There are also people who post up comments on blogs that are really encouraging. Super encouragement going all around the place. It's beautiful.

I really want to be an encouraging fellow. I strive to be encouraging. Actually, no, I just passively want to be encouraging without really doing anything. But I want to change that. I sincerely do.

So bear with me in my journey to be a more encouraging brother. I will do so by doing the only thing I feel like I can do to be encouraging: prayer and immersing myself in scripture. I probably won't IMMERSE myself but I'll splash around. Get my feet wet. Pray for me, that I will pray for you. :)

How-To

Today, I had to google "how to create a facebook event" because I wanted to create a facebook event. :) The things you can learn on the internet.

Study Sessions, Earthquakes, and Revelation

I was studying in the computer lab and suddenly, there was an earthquake. It went on for a while and it was fairly powerful.

I did not let it be known, but for a second, I was utterly terrified.

So many scenarios went into my head. I was terrified that the earth might split and the entire computer lab would fall in, I was afraid that a huge piece of the ceiling would crumble and crush us all, I was scared that all my homework would get erased because of a power shortage caused by the earthquake.

But mostly, I was terrified because it is a small glimpse of God's power. It was a reminder to me that God was very much in my life and that I need to stop living in such a sinful, unproductive manner. I have been pushing God's grace so much lately, without fully fearing the repercussions of such idiocy.

God reminded me before I got too out of hand that I am a Christian and that I should live like one. So scary.

Postscript (edited in). On a COMPLETELY different, as I was studying, I spontaneously thought, "why is God so beautiful?" and there was a calming peace in my heart. :)

"I just want to see her smile again" - The Joker

24 with Ricardo Chungo

May 7, 2009.

I had made a resolution to sleep early because I had a quiz the following morning at 8:30. I had slept well past 3 every night since Monday and had approximately 16 hours of sleep for four days. It was taking a toll on my body and mind. (I had to look up on dictionary.com to see if I was spelling "toll" correctly. harhar.) So I made a vow to sleep early on Thursday night.

The following takes place between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM

I end with class and dilly dally on the DS machine.

The following takes place between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM

I call up Rebekah Baird and introduce a song to her. We chill for an hour and watch some pretty strange music videos. Oh and I show her the clip of her and I performing and she realizes that Mimo spelt her name erroneously. It's Rebekah, not Rebecca.

The following takes place between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM

I head back to my dorm and I dilly dally some more. Attempting to do homework but mostly playing on the DS machine.

The following takes place between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM

I go to Brian Luk's room and chill there until clusters.

The following takes place between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM

Simon Chung picked me up from BIOLA so we could go to clusters. But everybody ditched so it was just me, Simon, Tim, and Hoon. Yongman joined later. We had a feast of a meal.

The following takes place between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM

We finish our meal and head out. Simon and I decide to go to dollar theater but there's nothing good to watch so we head back to BIOLA and shoot some pool.

The following takes place between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM

While playing pool I see a bunch of Indonesian girls come in and they engage in small group. It's in Indonesian so I can't eavesdrop. :( After Simon and I play pool, I go greet them and they invite me to Rui Guo's surprise birthday party.

The following takes place between 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM

I walk Simon to his car and and he drives me to my dorm and we separate. I decide to go to the party. This is where my vow and resolve falls apart. sigh.

The following takes place between 11:00 PM and 12:00 AM

I chill at the surprise birthday party.

The following takes place between 12:00 AM and 1:00 AM

We decide to go to Mandoorang which is a Korean restaurant that closes at 1:00 AM. We eat.

The following takes place between 1:00 AM and 2:00 AM

We head back to Rui's room and we chill a little. Then we decide to get a game of DOTA on.

The following takes place between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM

I finish game of DOTA and head back to my room. I make new resolution. To pull an all-nighter, take the quiz at 8:30, and go to sleep for a while.

The following takes place between 3:00 AM and 4:00 AM

I start by washing up. I shower, brush my teeth, shave my moustache, everything. I also read my homework, work-out a little and play a little bit on the DS machine. This takes up about an hour.

The following takes place between 4:00 AM and 5:00 AM

I start catching up on How I Met Your Mother.

The following takes place between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM

I go to the bathroom and on my way there, I pass by Brian Luk's room and I hear him playing a game so I knock. After I knock we both stare at each other in disbelief that the other one is up and we talk. I let him go back to sleep and I go back to my room.

OOOH, I have to mention. I think the most beautiful time of the day is around this time because it is when you see the light. Literally, I looked outside, and I saw the darkness creep away and light just subtly covered the Biola campus. It is really beautiful.

After our short dialogue, I let Brian sleep and I went to my room. I got dressed, and I went out for a walk. But I felt super inspired, so I took my guitar. I took it to the tennis courts and wrote some lyrics. It was nice. The sun started shining full blown in my face. It was really beautiful.

The following takes place between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM

I walk back to my room and I remember Simon and I talking about Kelly Clarkson so I youtube "My Life Would Suck Without You" and listen to it. Then I take a nap.

The following takes place between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM

7:30. One hour left and I realize that I cannot go through with this. So I sleep and miss the quiz. :( I know. So sad.

The following takes place between 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM

I slumber. And wake up to Simon's insistent calls.

The following takes place between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM

Simon and I play the most intensely draining Tennis match of our life. Partly because it feels like a 1000 degrees outside, partly because I worked out, probably a lot because of my attempt at an all-nighter.

The following takes place between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM

I get back from tennis, take a nice cold shower and blog about the last 24 hours.



One heck of a day.

Status Update on A Bird in the Empire Facebook Page

After a show and a facebook status update, the fan base of A Bird in the Empire grew 200%. :) Thanks for the support.

Shameless Advertising

I've been thinking and I realized that the best form of shameless advertising would be to post up videos. So that's what we decided to do, eventually. Harharhar. Look forward to videos from A Bird in the Empire. :-)

PostScript. I have a new song idea. I'm not sure if it's anygood. I have to pass it by Rebekah and see if she likes it. I hope it's good. It'll be our third song!

Oh and become a fan on facebook if possible. It'd be nice to know how cool we are. :-)

Here's a link to the page. :-)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=638645199&ref=nf#/pages/A-Bird-in-the-Empire/60838752608

The Most Wonderful World You've Ever Seen - A Bird in the Empire

Chorus:
_______ (Korean-will add later)
Ohohohohohoh
Won't you consider this
The most wonderful world that you've ever seen
Ohohohohohoh

Verse:
Hello beautiful days
Skies so clear you see the stars
Would you like to go for a little ride
to the world ahead
I wonder what'll await us there
Would it be monsters or angels or you in the end
Out in the darkest of nights

Verse2:
Farewell kind memories
Of sadness and sorrow and so much more pain
Oh I'll miss you so
You've taught me the pleasure of joy and contentment
I wonder what'll happen now
Would it be too hard to handle with you by my side
After we've got so far

Bridge:
It's a wonderful world
Where else can I find you love
It's a wonderful world
Where else can I see your face

I Don't Know, Let's Sing - Jennifer Chung

Supporting mah cuz. and MJ and Clemento for their music video debut. :)