Thursday, July 30, 2009

Faith + Hope + Love


One of the funniest reviews of the new Hillsong album that I've read. This is taken from Tony Morgan's blog...as part of the Hillsong "Faith + Hope + Love" blog tour. Yes, you heard that right....BLOG TOUR!! Basically everyday, a blogger writes a review on the album and posts a new video from the album, and links to the next blogger after him/her. What a cool concept eh? 

Start the Hillsong "Faith + Hope + Love" blog tour here.

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By Tony Morgan

Heard people talk about Hillsong for years…but was leery of the hype.

Heard Brian Houston speak in Dallas…and recognized he’s a gifted leader with a humble heart.

Heard Joel Houston lead worship live at a conference in SoCal…and realized the whole stinkin’ family is gifted.

Heard my wife say she still loves me…even though I can’t play guitar or sing or speak with an Australian accent.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Punk'd

Mich: *Mich's hp rings...unknown number is displayed. Picks up phone* Hello?

Caller: Hello...this is Michelle right? I'm Jon calling from Wee Lee Music.  Is this a good time for you to speak?

Mich: Wee Lee Music? Er...what is this regarding? *a bit distracted as she's lugging around a huge backpack and 2 jkts for her Scotland trip* 

Caller: Well, I heard from Andrea that you're singing for Bob Fitts at FOP. And Michael W. Smith is coming to town, and I was wondering if you'd be keen in singing back-up for him.

Mich: *short pause* Oh....er, when is Michael W. Smith's coming?

Caller: Actually...I also don't know. THIS IS JOHANNESSSS!!! hahaha!
(Johannes is our 18 year old drummer from church.)

Mich: WARRAU!!! I FEEL SO CHEATED!! 
(I was seriously considering singing for Michael W. Smith. Blehh. This boy ah...just a few mins earlier, he cheated Dawnie into thinking he wanted to produce an album for her. We're gonna get back at Johannes man. haha! But ok lah....that phone call really made me laugh.)


When Fluffy Came To Town


This is a teaser trailer for the 2nd installment of the I Heart Revolution dvd that Fluffy screened during his workshop on Sat, titled "From the Inside Out." Very honest and provoking, it really tore me up inside while I was watching it. 

Joel at the workshop, quoting Mother Teresa, "Truth is humility"

During his excellent workshop, Fluffy preached about being a people defined by truth, love and justice. It's such a challenge, rising to that call. It's really going to cost us. During the Hillsong United concert, we sang, "with everything, we will shout for Your glory, with everything, we will shout forth your praise." That moment was when I came undone. 

"With EVERYTHING"....that's a scary thing to sing. Made me realize that I've got such a long way to go in the journey of radical surrender, obedience & commitment to Christ. I don't think I've ever come away feeling so burdened or broken for God from a worship experience before. And honestly, I didn't expect it from the Hillsong United concert at Expo. But I'm really glad that it was a lot more than a night of Ra-ra, hype, jumping around, bright lights and fantastic music. As Joel said, "if our worship has no effect on the streets outside, infiltrating the dark places, then perhaps we've missed the point."

I've come away with a whole new level of respect for Joel Houston now after seeing him preach and lead worship....he leads with such humility, integrity and depth. Dawnie approves of my Fluffy too....she thinks he's so real. :) 

So how was the Hillsong United workshop/concert for you? Leave a comment with your thoughts! 

Soundbites:
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Cheryl and Darren (via sms): Happy Fluffy Day!!!
Mich: *warm and fuzzy feelings*

Andie (to Nigel while he's talking to Morris during Joel's workshop): *sternly* Don't disturb people's Fluffy time!! 
(That's so funny coming from Andie!) 

Dawnie to Mich: *during the intro of "The Stand" This one Fluffy song! :)
Mich: Wah you know ah? 
Dawnie: Of cos lah! *smiles proudly*
(I'm so proud of her. haha!) 

Glenn: *after the concert* Are you the happiest woman alive on the planet? 

Abi: *on her blog* michelle met her fluffy and is totally smitten. worse than chris smitten. worse than jason smitten. she’s totally for fluffy. she has palpitations. seriously. damn cute.
(The palpitations are absolutely true. I had to sit down and fan myself to calm down.)

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Crazy Love

Here's an excerpt from "Soul Cravings" by Erwin McManus, which I have been using as part of my QT. Beautifully written and deeply moving. 

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"Like a Kiss On The Face" by Erwin McManus

This is the great irony of the human story.

When God does come to embrace us, to meet us face-to-face, to bring us into relationship with him, we far too often find ourselves betraying love.

Yet his love is undeterred.
He still pursues us with his relentless compassion
God is the passionate lover of humanity
He created you for love.
You cannot live without love, and you do not have to.
Yes, there is an insanity to love. You will go mad in pursuing it.
You will despise life itself if you do not find it.
Your soul craves love and will find satisfaction with nothing less.
You shouldn't be surprised that as you look for love, you keep running into God.
Listen to your soul. You have not given yourself to a futile search.
You are not alone in your pursuit. 
Love searches for you.

Is it possible this is why the story won't go away? Two thousand years later and somehow it is still strangely compelling. 

On a cross, Jesus of Nazareth hung naked and beaten for love.
Talk about rejection.
It would be easy to conclude that God made a fool of himself.
What was he thinking to die for love?

He gambled everything on the power of love. That love was more powerful than hate. That love was more powerful than death. What was he thinking to die for us, to give himself for you and for me, knowing we might just kiss him in the face and then walk away?

Love's just crazy like that. 

The Sunshine of My Life

The things that Dawnie says really cracks me up sometimes. haha! I love my "Ah Lian" fwen! :)

[Talking about books over dinner]
Mich: Yeah, for the books that I REALLY LOVE, I usually keep two copies. Like I have two copies of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Jane Austen's novels. 
Dawn: Har?? How come?
Mich: Eh...one is my private copy, usually a box set that's meant for the book shelf....the other is a browsing copy, for me to lend people. And this copy can be folded, highlighted etc. 
Dawn: Wah...you library ah? 
Mich: ....... 

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[I recently sent out an email with details about the Hillsong United workshops and concert on Sat. e.g. meeting time/venue...web site link...list of attendees etc.]
Here's a sample:

    * 1100 - Workshop attendees meet for brunch at Lerk Thai
    * 1215 - end of lunch, proceed for workshop
    * 1600 - end of workshop, coffee/ quick bite for dinner
    * 1700-1715 - queue for entry
    * 1745 - non-workshop attendees join us in queue/inside
    * 1900 - concert time (i.e. prepare to be Fluffified!)

Dawn: Auntie Mich, you organising 10-day tour ah? having said that, Fluffy would be proud of you. 
Mich: I didn't come up with the detailed plan!!! It was Nigel!!! ahhhhh!! I'm not capable of coming up with such detailed plans one. 10 day tour. *faintz*

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

On My Way


After a long but fruitful day, I decided to play some Corrinne May to soothe my soul. Yes, her music always feels like a warm blanket on a rainy day. I suspect I posted the lyrics of this song after being moved to tears by it at Corrinne May's concert. But oh well, "On My Way" seems to have taken on richer undertones with the passing of time.

There's still that sense of the unknown and a muted shade of poignancy as I journey on step by step, but I feel very blessed, because I realise that the 'view' now is considerably different. Along the way, I have found some very special fellow travellers who "surround me with love at every milestone." Trusted companions whom I can share the laughter and the tears with. I thank God for each of you. :) Let's walk on.

"On My Way" by Corrinne May
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I'm far away from what I've known
And there's static on the radio

Just a girl in a car on a lonely highway

Driving up and down this winding road
It's getting dark, the stores are closed

The map is wrinkled, my coffee's turned to grey


Chorus:

But I'm on my way, I'm on my way

There seems to be no end in sight

But I know I'll be alright

I'm on my way, I'm on my way

Don't give up on me
I'm on my way

Bridge:

I can picture your smiling face

Your arms stretched to hold me

Waiting there by the gate
If I ever get lost,
I know you'll find me

There's a cross on a hill saying,

"Do not be afraid."

Monday, July 13, 2009

Fluffy: Its (Singaporean) Origins

Dawnie's 3rd guest blog post. This is soooooo close to my heart, for obvious reasons. haha! So whimsical, so heartwarming! Love it! :)
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By Dawn Wong

Of late, the name "Fluffy" has been hanging off the lips of Mich's friends. May I henceforth put forth that it was I, ahem, yes I, who used the term "Fluffy" to refer to "beings that cause our hearts to melt like...caramel". Fluffy is Joel Houston to Mich, and Fluffy is...well, what Fluffy is to me is secret to you. So anyways, I cannot claim credit to inventing Fluffy because Fluffy came from the movie "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist", which Mich and I watched (not together, but we did know that we would somehow watch it, cos it was That Type of music movie.) In the movie, Nick and Norah - indie music freaks - fall in love with each other while chasing an elusive rock band that goes by the name of "Where's Fluffy?". You had to follow hints all around town to find the venue where they were playing. So, unless you were a die-hard fan, you would have just fallen by the roadside, wilted and died. One clue was found in the toilet of a pub, written and drawn in liquid paper (a rabbit and some words) on the door of the toilet. Which also means that, unless you were facing the door while doing your business, you would have totally missed it.

Although I didn't create Fluffy, I do have my evolving theories (and grammar) about All Things Fluffy. And these theories (and grammar) pop up only during msn conversations in the wee hours of the morning with Mich, my friend. Fluffy used to be a noun, but we've made it a verb. So if you Fluffy me, means you really dig me lah. And just a few minutes ago, I've realised that Fluffy needs to be elusive in order for it to qualify as a real Fluffy. Like I had a Fluffy who, sadly or not I'm not sure, doesn't quite qualify anymore. Because I chose to do something else over Fluffy. And like I told Mich, Fluffy has lost its fluffiness because Fluffy and I are friends now. But of course, Mich thinks that even if Joel Houston becomes her friend, he will still be Fluffy. Well, I'm sceptical. I still think my Fluffy theory stands.

And seriously, if you read my post until here, you really don't think that my words are fluff. Right or not? Go fluffify, whatever that means :)

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And just for the record:

Mich's Fluffy= Joel Houston
Darren's Fluffy= Henry Seeley (yes, I know how salah that sounds)
Muffin's Fluffy= Brooke Fraser

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Darren's Mock-Up Attendance Sheet


Darren is our music min temp staff in church. I got him to help me do up a table for the choir's absentee list. This is the draft template that he sent to me for approval. Cracked me up big-time.
Click on the picture for an enlarged view. Trust me, you'll wanna see what he wrote.
This is what you get when you ask a Planetshaker fan to work for you. haha! This was the feedback I gave him, "Darren....format PASS. Content....FAIL!!!"