Sum Of All Efforts

No more posting for me till after the exams.

Must mug.

Please pray for me.

That is all.

Ka Mate, Ka Ora

Tis' death, tis' life.

The day has been emotionally charged. In the morning, ANZAC Day. In the afternoon (and a bally hot one at that), Zhehao and Wenshan's wedding.

The former, a remembrance of the dead of war. The latter, a declaration of love between two people.

I wore an RSA poppy to the wedding. I remember the dead on someone's wedding.

Oh, how wonderful.

The perfect recipe for long hours of emo-ing.

Week before ANZAC Day

G'day mates.

ANZAC Day is approaching. It presents a perfect oppurtunity to reflect on war and sacrifice.

It would be the time to reflect on how wonderful it would be if the world were at peace.

And it is also time to reflect on how the above idealistic statement would never come true.

Ah well, can't complain, can we?

Choir

Music, especially choral music has a most profound effect on my state of mind. When I heard the choir yesterday, I was feeling rather joyous at the end. Yes, I thought, the Lord is risen! It is cause for celebration! Music invokes emotion, and allows us to better understand the issue or event at hand. Oh no, what am I saying, this is beginning to sound like Theory of Knowledge already.

I would like to give a great Shabash (Bravo!) to Zhiqing, Chrisll, Jeshrei and the rest of the choir for doing supremely well yesterday, the response was rather good, and all the effort did indeed pay off. Praise God!

I was rather intrigued to hear the tune of the last song, which was composed by Gustav Holst. It is also used for the hymn "I Vow To Thee My Country", which is often sung at Remembrance Day services. It turned up in The Right Stuff (film) to act as background music to John Glenn's flight. It is therefore fascinating, that Holst's tune is used for celebration, remembrance and inspiration. A true masterpiece.

When our church choir was preparing for their event on Christmas 2007, I remember being at one of the rehearsals in the sanctuary and I had just finished watching Band of Brothers that year. I remember the time when Easy Company herded into the chapel at Rachamps after the Battle of the Bulge and the choir performed for them. In the series, it was Plaisir D'Amour. For me, sitting in the back pew and listening to the angelic voices up front gave me a hint of the feeling of the men at Rachamps. I remember I was due to fly to Hong Kong the next day (for a holiday, no less). I was pretty nervous about long-distance flight as I don't fly that long a distance too often. I was thinking - If I were to die tomorrow over the South China Sea when my kite's engine blows up, at least I had accepted Jesus as my Saviour, and had listened to that magnificent choir.

Sieg im Tod

This week was rather taxing on my mental health, but by the grace of God, I have survived. The parade yesterday on Maundy Thursday wasn't a disaster as I thought it would be. The food they gave after the parade wasn't bad. I had 2 cups of char because I only slept 2 hours the night before.

But that's not the point of the post now.

Today is Good Friday, the death anniversary of our Good Lord.

He died in the most horrid and humiliating way possible.

He was alone in His suffering.

Herzliebster Jesu/Ah, Holy Jesus - Johann Heermann

Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen,
Daß man ein solch scharf Urteil hat gesprochen?
Was ist die Schuld? In was für Missetaten
Bist du geraten?


Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.


When He died, we could be free again, no longer seperated from God.

Victory in Death.

His love is beyond compare.

O Love Divine - Charles Wesley

O Love divine, what hast thou done!
The immortal God hath died for me!
The Father’s co-eternal Son
Bore all my sins upon the tree.
Th’immortal God for me hath died:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Is crucified for me and you,
To bring us rebels back to God.
Believe, believe the record true,
Ye all are bought with Jesus’ blood.
Pardon for all flows from His side:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Behold and love, ye that pass by,
The bleeding Prince of life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your Savior die,
And say, “Was ever grief like His?”
Come, feel with me His blood applied:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Then let us sit beneath His cross,
And gladly catch the healing stream:
All things for Him account but loss,
And give up all our hearts to Him:
Of nothing think or speak beside,
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Die Straße zum Krieg

The pinnacle of my CCA tour of duty.

Parade Commander.

Things can go very, very wrong.

Nevertherless, I must strive for the highest standard.

My reputation is on the line.

Not that I had one anyway.