Old Year Musings

It's the last day of the year. In less than 15 hours (I started this around 0915), people will be counting down everywhere to usher in a new year. I originally worked on a sermon on looking back the old year last Sunday. I didn't get to use it. It's ok.

Let me list things that were the year 2008 for me, in no particular order.

TV shows I like: Pushing Daisies.

This has got to be the best blend of death and comedy in a long while.

TV shows I like:  Burn Notice.

Best TV show in the year for me. It’s so funny.

Longtime desire achieved:

I finally got Christmas Shoes DVD in the video shop near the church. I always wanted to get this. I remember one Sunday afternoon when I watched this at home alone. I cried and cried and cried. I must share this with my family and friends.

Things I don’t like: Becoming a McD addict.

In the beginning, it was amusing when colleagues teased me for getting “McDonald’s again?” Then I dug up information on Supersize Me and decided if I wanted to be healthy, I should cut down on unhealthy food. Translating some MOH (Ministry of Health) materials exposed me to certain undesirable gejala-gejala. I could do without them. For the sake of my loved ones and myself, I want to stay healthy.

Things started in (the last few days of) 2008:

Low carb diet. Exercise. Don’t take too much food.

Things still happening in 2008: Misuse of credit card.

It seems like not a year went by without us fixing this. The fact that the former company didn’t pay salary for 2 months (they paid me back one month with one month notice after I left) didn’t help. The Biblical Studies on Financial Freedom helped.

Things stopped happening in 2008:

Preaching in Chinese service. Uncles, aunties, I cannot answer you why I don’t preach to you anymore. I don’t make the schedule.

Survived in 2008: BMCS (the Bahasa Malaysia Celebration Service)

Not that there was any doubt it would not. And it achieved its goal of 20 members. Now, if it could get on its feet and start walking …

Things done first time in 2008: 3-month prayer journey

That was good in so many levels. The family (and other families) prayed together. Brothers and sisters got a chance to pray for one another. We focus on the same prayer pointers and were set free in many ways. Kudos to Pastor Reynold. God bless him.

Things done first time in 2008: Project Timothy

This is good stuff. We had two semesters of learning together. Caleb is not a Jew. Boaz and Ruth did not have sex on the threshing floor that night. Imprecatory / cursing psalms are good for you. Watch out for parallelism in Psalms. Look for verses which repeat or reinforce the same thing, or contrast each other. Spot the pattern in the Psalmists’ writings. Someone told me someone told him if your faith is not strong, it will crack when you join PT. Now, where did that come from?

What a rush. We missed some key area in our testing. It’s ok. We will be more careful next time.

Things that have not happened for a long time: Bonus and Increment.

Those are good stuff. This company is here to stay. So is this employee.

There could be more  after this ...