171012

by

fifty six

Yeah...... wooo... IR exam today... LOL.

"A nation divided into two separate entities" was the discussion question.
It was of course, talking about the division between North + South Korea so it was rather interesting but all I could write was utter bullpoo LOL.
OH WELL!
We'll see how it goes =]

In other news... Nicole, Lyna and Julia had their Korean exam today.......... literally 4 hours of exams in a row... I feel sorry for them because there is so much pressure to learn so many things in so little time... Nicole is feeling discouraged but I'm glad I can be there to help her with her learning wherever I can...  My one year of Korean learning is sufficient, but I'm afraid when it comes to expertise, I can't be the leader - Nichole's 4 year experience > mine. haha....


Anyway... after my exam.. I waited 2 hours for the gang to finish their exams... But only Lyna came with me to have lunch - she was the only one who was more relaxed about this whole thing.. They have 2 more Korean exams tomorrow... =[
Not used to seeing Nicole this down.... So I hope for the best for her.

After lunch... Laundry time again!
Yeah yeah yeah... done done...
mm..

Dinnertime!

And then smallgroup HAHA! WOO!!


On the train.  YEUH.

The small group today was more focused on sharing and encouraging... So we ended up talking and sharing for a good hour and a half... and left the rest for a quick overview of 1 Timothy 1:3-8.

It was a very good time to share our more common struggles with guy stuff... Lustful temptation, wandering eyes, internet accountability and general struggles.

I shared last... mainly because I knew being honest and being open meant that I had to let go of the pride I had unknowingly built up after weeks of feeling 'invulnerable'. 
You see... I've been thinking to myself.. "wow, I feel so equipped and strong right now so it would be impossible to fall!"

^ that kind of thinking is where you will begin your steep descent into spiritual dry-ness... It's when we convince ourselves that we are strong by our own power and that we think we can detach ourselves from God to see how far we will go without sin.
BAM. wrong.

Although I'm still going strong in terms of sexual sin... Wandering eyes and second glances have been a problem lately.

But that being said... if there is something to be thankful for there.. is that during those times of lustful temptation, I've seen warning signs and heard voices inside saying "What are you doing?".. "You know well that second glance was unnecessary"... "Eyes off and change topics".
Warning signs are very welcome =]. Especially when before, back in Sydney, warning signs weren't so vivid...

I'm very thankful for my small group... They are an awesome bunch of men who genuinely trust and desire a close-knit relationship with each other. A true blessing in itself.

One of the members, introduced me to his ex-gf (just broke up recently actually)... because she wants to make more guy friends... and he hopes I can be that friend...
Although I was against it at first... I agreed to it only for the sole purpose of being a friend and that we'd only agree to see each other in a group setting... no 1 on 1s and limited communication 1 on 1.
She is what normal guys would call 'pretty'... but I'm sorry... The girl I'm looking for won't be found here =].


After small group, I went to Anam again to meet up and debrief with Jo!
So after an hour train ride... I arrived and met up with Jo, Bernie and Vinh... and 2 other foreigners... Fun bunch!!
We went to a bar and played darts.... but more importantly and more praiseworthy.. was that Jo and I got to talk to them about what it means for us to be Christians.

Whoever said Christianity and a bar don't mix?

Although most of them were still sceptical and a bit shy... I definitely know a seed has been planted... The look on one of their eyes said it all. 
From here on, I hope for more opportunities like that... It was probably one of the first times I had to talk about my faith to someone but I am glad to say that I feel no shame and I feel no embarrassment in saying Who it is I believe in and what kind of life I've committed to live.

A: If you've been bad all your life, can you still be a Christian?
Me: Of course! Christianity isn't about being perfect or being good all your life.. It's quite the opposite. It's about bad people admitting their depravity and seeking forgiveness (from the only One who can grant it).
A: But what about all the bad things you've done? Compare that to someone who has been a Christian all their lives... 
Me: Getting into Heaven was never about works and how good someone has been... I believe that if you firmly declare inside and outside that Jesus is Lord and that you seek forgiveness... Your past will no longer condemn you.

It was interesting to find out that so many people have this mindset that Christians are soooo separate from the world.. That they're like angels and goody-two-shoes who have no stain on them whatsoever.

But... we're not. If I look back on my life.. There have been so many instances when there would be little difference in how I acted and how the ordinary person acts... I'm as bad and sinful as those people and I therefore do not deserve to go into Heaven...

But in my sin and depravity, Jesus came and redeemed me.. Giving me a clean slate and any evidence of my sinful past was burnt away. Christianity is about sinful people needing forgiveness and a loving God who grants it so freely.

Cheap drinks all around!... On the right, you see a 3 hour drink-all-you-can menu... ($14 guys, $9 girls).

At 12.30am... it was time to go home...
Quite scary on the way back... Dark and empty... Shadows everywhere.... LOL.

Yeah... carpark back at my uni.

Chocolate bar that my room mate bought me! He came up to me and stood next to me for a couple of seconds.. I then realised he wanted to talk to me.. and he said that because I helped him last week with his English presentation, he got 94% and this was a token of appreciation.. XD. How did he know that I love Crunky XD... Probably cos I wear the Crunky shirt.. LOL.




Thankful: Awesome small group session. Gospel opportunities and strengthening of friendships through such simple yet valuable means such as helping with certain subjects.

Prayerful: I keep faithful to my vow.. The vow I made with my eyes.. Also that I may flee from temptation as soon as warning signs pop up... Fighting it will only lead to rationing which will then lead to committing it.

Dangers: Meeting a lot of people lately... Some quite attractive girls too... Even if I tell myself that there is no way I'll be getting in a relationship here... It doesn't mean that I'll forever escape meeting new people. I hope I may maintain a wise distance and put up necessary barriers to prevent unhelpful situations..