hendrikch.com – Hendrik Christian Blog on Daily Life

If you have noticed that my blogging activity has slowed down over the past 2-3 months, you’re right. I have had a very busy activities over the past couple of months, beside work, my evening has been spent meeting agents after agents, appointment for viewing houses to buy (for my sis and bro-in-law, I’m not getting married anytime soon yet ). I have viewed countless houses over at Boonlay, as well as calling housing agents, taking calls from them, buy StraitsTimes every Saturday for the advertisement pages, and so on …. It’s a LOT of activities to get a house, really, not to mention that you OFTEN get out-bid my other people who are willing to pay up to $80,000 above the house’s valuation. How to compete like that? I’ve viewed a house that is so simple (and not very well-kept) until houses that are very nicely renovated, maintained, and has that warm, cozy feeling of home (usually occupied by old couples who wanted to move out to a smaller house after all their children have moved out). On a personal side, my sis and bro has been traveling back and forth to Singapore, so undoubtedly, I’ll be spending time with them. Same case when my parents were here and will be here again next week.

On my activities at church, it has been about preparing, planning, and publicizing our church’s youth fellowship has been moved from NBC (North Bridge Centre) at Bugis to Metropolitan YMCA near Orchard due to capacity issue. Our fellowship has grown bigger and bigger that 100-people capacity of NBC could no longer hold us comfortably. One of the flyers that we created, printed, distributed, and shown on powerpoint slides every Sunday are like these:

The cartoon version, what do you think?

The photo version

There have been meetings, seminars, preparation for MC for the fellowship, and many other activities, which have passed, and thankfully has gone well.

Next up, for the next two weeks will be to prepare for Christmas celebration that’s coming up and youth adult fellowship outing on December 1st. I guess it’s enough for the time being. Thankfully, there’s a great website Remember The Milk (funny it may sound) which gives you online task list for free, and how they did it well.

Back to the personal side, I have been attending a couple of friends’ weddings as well, the latest being Kevin and Libby. Next upcoming is Albert and Nicole in two weeks time.

Finally, for the past two weeks, I’ve been using Nokia N95, it’s a wonderful phone I would say, more on that on a separate post.

Is it just me, or is it common that human want other people to be what they want them to be? Sometimes it is hard to accept people the way they are. Every single person is created uniquely, no one is the same. When we interact with others, sometimes (or maybe a lot of times), we want other people to be like this, like that, the way what we want them to be. And when other people can’t be what we want, that’s when the conflict came about.

We are all learning and growing, and as part of a process, we’ll fall down sometimes. However, it is not how many times you fall that defines you, but it is how many times you get up after you fall down that will determine your future. Why is human’s life so difficult? Because human being is the highest creation of God, created in the image of God. As the best creation that God ever created, it is mandatory that humans have to undergo life trials and tribulations. When you buy a diamond, you’ll make sure that it has been tested and certified perfect and worthy of the price you pay for it. Will you bother if you buy $2 stationery? In the same way, more worthy and more valuable creations, like humans, have to be tested and passed all the trials before can be certified perfect.

Back to the main topic, it’s not easy, we tend to want others to understand us, without first trying to understand others. I am in the midst of learning how to accept others the way they are, and realizing I do not have unlimited chances to fail, hopefully I can pass this lesson in life before I have used up all my chances. Fingers crossed. And of course, I do realize, and am very grateful for all the chances that I have been given. I will treasure each and every chances I have now, and treat it as possibly my last chance already.

A pastor who faithfully served God, a pastor who remembered each and everyone of us by name out of hundreds or thousands he knew, a pastor who shared the Good News about Jesus Christ to anyone and everyone he met, no matter how sick he was, no matter how hard it was for him to just stand up, a pastor who taught us to have strong faith, no matter what circumstances in our life are, a person who certainly have made a difference in this world, who have touched the life and hearts of so many people, a pastor who have brought so many people back to Christ. The world need more people like him.

However, God has other plan. When I visited him in Tan Tock Seng hospital last night, he was struggling in pain, unable to breathe, many internal organs has failed. When we visited him, we gathered around his bed, he can’t talk, but with his hand could only convey message: “Everyone of you ……” He couldn’t continue, clearly in pain. We sang songs, we prayed, we cried. He couldn’t sleep whole night, until about 8.20AM this morning, everyone in the room started singing praise and worship songs. After a couple of songs, about 8.30 AM, when the hymn “Bapa Sorgawi memeliharaku (Heavenly Father taking care of me)”, he held his wife hand very tightly, and seconds later slowly, peacefully, let go to be with our Father in Heaven. Everyone in the room cried, sad, lost, at the same time relieved that his suffering has ended.

What’s left now is his legacy, the memories that he has brought us, the role model, the example of a husband, a father, and most importantly God’s servant. We will certainly miss you, rest in peace, and we’ll see you again in heaven one day Rev. Amin Tjung (24 October 1965 - 22 July 2007)

Please pray for his family, his wife Bu Lita, and three sons, Ezra, Paul, and Kharis.