Let Worship Rock & Justice Roll

I was watching a sermon by Glenn Packiam from New Life Worship's teaching series, "Re:verb/// Conversations on biblical worship." His message was titled, "Let worship rock and justice roll." It sounds quite cool and groovy right? But once you dig in....the msg gets really sobering (in a good way). Glenn referred to The Message's version of Amos 5....and it was so close to home that it made my heart go "ouch!" I think we've all been guilty of a 'feel good' brand of Christianity which traps us in our kingdom of comfort. I know I have. And it makes me sick to think that we've offered up empty worship unto God.

"I can't stand your religious meetings.
I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it.
That's what I want. That's all I want."- Amos 5:21-24 (The Message)

Glenn concluded with this profound point, "Worship was designed to wake us up to the world, not insulate us from it." Wow....now that's something to chew on, and to live out.

Cell Group Antics (Featuring Jeremy & Ivan)

Jeremy had us cracking up in laughter as Morris hooked him up to this Osim massage device, which caused his arm/shoulders to twitch as regularly as a metronome. Watch Jeremy attempt to drink his iced coffee as Ivan increases the intensity of the massager. The things those 2 do to entertain themselves. haha! Wah...laugh until stomach pain!

Alarice @ Esplanade Pics

Here are some of the pics that Abi took for Alarice at the Esplanade Concourse gig. Nice? Contact her if you want to engage her services. haha!

Alarice & Nigel

My fav shot...it's such a 'singer' shot. I like!

View the rest of Abi's photos here

Fields of Grace

1) I'm amazed by my Grandma's spiritual hunger. I've been buying her a lot of literature for new Christians, because she's been reading through her daily devotionals so quickly. She's so happy to have new books to learn from, and is just taking it all in so readily. It's super cool hearing her tell me how much she liked a book, or a certain passage she read. :)

2) I am looking forward to the reunion of the Acoustikers United (Dawnie and Nigel Old Soul) for our jamming/recording session. :) We were 'scattered' cos of Nigel's exams, and then Dawnie's Tokyo trip. I NEED MUSIC!!!! Quick guys, give me my fix!!! haha!

3) Scotland in August....India in Dec. Yay!! :) I still can't believe I'm headed to the Bonnie land of Nessie, Macbeth, William Wallace, Ewan McGregor etc.

4) I'm amazed at how wonderfully encouraging our RiverLife youths are. Every now and then, they surprise me with random affirming comments and it just melts my heart to see them growing up so beautifully. I heart you guys! :)

5) Just over the past week or so....a good friend's dad was diagnosed with brain cancer. It looks pretty bad and she's very shaken up. Then another close fren messaged me about her personal medical condition, which I cannot divulge here. Life is so fragile. We can't take anything for granted. I'm learning to pray harder than ever for my frens n loved ones.

Mad Church Disease??

I think I've got it bad. All I can think of when I'm going for my personal holiday is which churches I can visit/worship conferences I can attend. haha! As some of you know...I'm headed to London/Scotland from 21 Aug-29 Aug. And I really hope to visit Holy Trinity Brompton (Tim Hughes' church) and Hillsong London. (Technically, I can visit both on one Sun because both churches have morning and evening svces! Yay!)

I just found out that JUDAH SMITH, who used to be the Youth Pastor of Generation Church, the thriving youth ministry of The City Church, Seattle, is going to be the guest speaker on 23 Aug at Hillsong London. (He's now the Preaching Pastor of The City Church.) WOOHOO!!! I'm so glad I'll be in town to hear him. (sorry, i know i sound very geeky) It's not just going to be personal holiday, but a time for spiritual refuel. YAY!!

Abi, we are so going to Hillsong London!! Nigel has already assigned me to buy him Hillsong souvenirs. haha! :)

Here's a funny dialogue I had with May about my upcoming Scottish adventure:
===========================================================
May: When are you going Scotland?
Mich: 21 Aug-29 Aug. It's during the Edinburgh Festival!
May: COOL!! HAPPENING!!
Mich: I will say hi to Nessie for you! :)
May: Nah, Nessie shy!
Mich: Hahahha! I almost peed in my PJs!!
May: I email Nessie. Tell him don't so shy! Hibernation for 50 years already. Not good to be so isolated.

Disney Wonderland

This is the 2nd blog post from my very special guest blogger, Dawnieeeee, who just got back from Tokyo. :) I personally think its the best blog post I've read in ages, because it just clicked with the very dreamy, idealistic side of me (my heart is Disney at the core), and it made my world all bright, shiny and hopeful again. :) As Dawnie said, "I think i'm now world weary, and Disney made me feel like life has meaning." haha!

Another plus is that Gabe Bondoc (videos below) sang the very song that sparked my love for music & singing in the first place, "Part of your world," from the Little Mermaid. I used to sing all the songs by heart as a wee little girl, and I even have the DVD now. :) The Gabe videos are so fun! Try singing along with him ok? Enjoy!

=================================================================
By Dawn Wong

I never thought I'd say this, but I love Disney. Disney is neither tacky nor childish, it is just wonderful. The happiest day in Tokyo for me was spent at Tokyo DisneySEA, the water-themed park just next to Tokyo Disneyland. The moment I stepped into the Disney Resort Line (aka train) bringing us into the theme park, and saw the Mickey Mouse-shaped windows and handles in the train, I just felt my heart kick back and relax. It was pure bliss catching all the musicals, on land and on water, and waving non-stop to Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Daisy, Chip & Dale, Goofy and Pinocchio. Even though most of it was in Japanese, I still sorta understood what was going on, because it was Disney. I know Ariel in The Little Mermaid... I know the Genie in Aladdin... I know the songs, the sounds, the stories...you tell it in a different language, I still know them. Because I grew up with them, starting with the Ladybird books that I used to read as a child. And therein lies the beauty of Disney's animated stories and universal themes of love, play and beauty. Or so I would like to think. Well, anyways, it so happened when I returned that youtube celeb Gabe Bondoc has been recording his Disney covers too! Oh my...they are veryveryvery lovely. He is the second person I know to choke over songs (the first is Mich, you cry), and he chokes over Disney's songs. Awww...

The first is Part Of Your World, originally sung by Ariel in The Little Mermaid. The second is really fun - A Whole New World - where Gabe sings only one part and lets you, the audience, sing the other half of the duet. I had a blast singing along with him, though the range is totally out for me - I either need to screech or sing damn low. Haha. Enjoy :)

"God of This City" by Kris Allen

Andie showed me this video last nite and I just thought it was sooooo amazing! It's just pretty wonderful that a worship leader won American Idol. :) (And another worship leader, Danny Gokey, was in the Top 3) And here he is, singing a song that we sing in church. Wow!! Ok...am I being a bit duh? haha! But well, this is not something that happens often in American Idol world. I think it'd be so cool if Kris Allen sang a duet thingy with Chris Tomlin. Kris and Chris! haha!

Alarice @ Esplanade Concourse

Here are the other Alarice videos that I recorded from the night. Wah, not easy man...hold my hand steady for 3-4 mins. The whole gig was really nice...Abi got her opportunity to be Alarice's official photographer; met up with many frens like Nigel Old Soul, Jon (Kuching Boy), Crazy Steph, Muffin....and we even bumped into cool Jet!!! Jet got totally traumatised by Steph, although it was only the 2nd time he met her. I had to stop the conversation before she invited herself to his house for a free dinner. haha!

Jet and I got to swop copywriting horror stories...which was therapeutic. I think he's probably the only fren I have right now who fully comprehends and empathises with my copywriting woes. haha! Ok anyway...back to the videos. Dawnie enjoy! I'm sorry my finger was too slow to record her cute medley of "Somewhere over the rainbow" with Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours."

"Man in the Mirror" originally by Michael Jackson, covered by Alarice. The closing song to her 2nd set. This one was quite the crowd favourite....not easy to sing Michael Jackson songs man.


Another original new song by Alarice, "First Dance."

Midnight Train by Alarice

This video is for my Dawnieeeee, who missed Alarice's gig @ the Esplanade Concourse cos she's holidaying in Tokyo. This is a new song from Alarice, which I really like. :) Will upload more tmrw. Takes awfully long to get one up!

Alarice: Guit and vox
Nigel Tan: Guit and percussions
Jocelyn: Keys/Piano and backing vox

Closer

"At the end of the day, when it comes down to it, all we really want is to be close to somebody. So this thing where we all keep our distance and pretend not to care about each other, it's usually a load of bull. So we pick and choose who we want to remain close to, and once we've chosen those people, we tend to stick close by. No matter how much we hurt them. The people that are still with you at the end of the day, those are the ones worth keeping. And sure, sometimes close can be too close. But sometimes, that invasion of personal space, it can be exactly what you need."- Meredith, on Grey's Anatomy, S3

Life and Love and Why

I'm learning from the wisdom of Dawnie....heart.needs.to.learn.
[I think the raspberry vodka is getting to me...]

"Keep it kind, keep it good
Keep it right
Throw yourself in the midst of danger
But keep one eye open at night."- 'Elephants' by Rachael Yamagata

a_CROSS//the_EARTH:: Tear Down The Walls

The new Hillsong United album, out in S'pore on the 26th May!!
Can't wait. :)

And here's a message from J.T.H taken from the Hillsong United blog. It seems real apt for the launch of the new album. I just love how powerfully he writes. Sigh.

Here + Now
================

I’m convinced.
The cross is written across everything.
Fighting for our attention.
Disturbing us from the temporary.
Revealing what is eternal.
The unshakeable kingdom;

Faith.
Hope.
Love.

Is our Faith in circumstance. Or God’s word.
Is our Hope in the here and now. Or in the Cross.
Is our Love for consumption. Or for others.

The cross.
Written across all things.
Calling us toward the one thing.
Once you’ve seen it.
You’ll see it in everything.
And everything will change.
Love.

+jth

Damaged Goods

I don't know why...but I seem to be pretty destructive of late. Just over the past few months, I've damaged 2 pairs of audio technica earphones...and the screw cap of my Benetint blusher (I was just trying to ensure it was screwed on tightly!). I so violent meh??? Apparenly Dawn thinks I am. Boo!

And as if I'm not nearly destructive enough with my personal property, the RATS that have been on the loose in the office, decided to chew through my Macbook power adaptor wire. How to explain the sad state of my wires to Apple?? But I'm thankful I didn't kena rat poo pellets on my desk like Darren. They really don't like him. This is not funny you know...and not cute like Ratatouille. We need to shut down this 'underground cell of rats'!!

On a totally unrelated note...I thought this tweet by Joel was so funny, "sometimes i wake up...and I have a beard...??" hahaha! The story of his life eh? :)

Baby Love

I.Am.Happy. :) Had a lovely evening having dinner and drinks at Michelle Poh's house. For those who dunno...she's like my vocal 'sifu' and mentor. We had a good time catching up, and playing with her beautiful baby boy, Krabi, who's 3 years old now. Mich Poh married a Dutch guy, so you can imagine how super cute and hansum Krabi is.

Didn't get to take photos because Krabi was glued to me the whole night...so my hands were quite full. He insisted on feeding me his food and drinks, and happily plopped himself on my lap to watch cartoons, while giving me affectionate hugs and kisses the whole night. When it was time to go out for a car-ride, he stuck out his little pudgy hand to hold mine. Who wouldn't love a baby like that? Awww. Apparently he's rarely this attached to people, so I'm a lucky gal. :) (Maybe he liked my vanilla scented hair? haha! I dunno.) His favourite word is "Yayyy!!!" haha! Which he exclaims regularly. So cute lah.

Soundbites

Mich: *in mid-conversation* Fat like panda! :(
Amelia: HUH?? What??
Mich: Oh sorry....just a random outburst. I'm feeling fat. Like a panda.
Amelia: Huh? You?? Where got fat? (says the skinny one who keeps tempting me with cookies!)
[minutes later...]
Darren: *walks in innocently* No more Hello Panda ah? (Darren is always strolling in with food/looking for food)
Mich: :( Its a sign!!!

Mich: I'm thinking of going to Sydney in Oct for the Hillsong Encounter Conference.
Rox: *eyes wide open* OMG!! *jaw drops* HAVE YOU PRAYED ABOUT IT???? *seriously looks worried*
Mich: hahaha! Why are you being so dramatic? Its not like I'm going there to get married.
[Rox thinks I'm a Joel-stalker. Warrau! I'm not that siao can? But anyway, I must thank her
for the fabulous stash of free perfume samples she generously gave me. haha!]

Mich: I'm going blind...
Jet: What are you doing??
Mich: Editing some documents. I don't understand why people have to be so CHEONG HEY!! And then I get all depressed at the horrible state of English in S'pore, and how I'm going blind editing it. Why do people have to say the same thing 3x in a paragraph??
Jet: Ahhh....that's just the ego speaking....or some mysterious character flaw.
Mich: haha! Wow! That's the best excuse I've heard for bad English ever.

The Love of Musical Beauty

"Chris & I bonded over the love of musical beauty"
- John Mayer, on his collaboration with Chris Botti.

I was watching the Behind the Scenes feature on the "Chris Botti in Boston" dvd, when I heard John Mayer drop this line from his lips casually. "The love of musical beauty"-that perfectly sums up what I feel each time I listen to Chris Botti's music, which is so refined and sophisticated that it obviously comes from a place of passion & commitment to his craft.

What's up with the artist's obsession with beauty anyway? Well, I think its because beauty in art reminds us to step away from the daily grind, and to simply let our soul breathe, heal & rejuvenate. Art persuades us to look at the world afresh with wonder, and in its sublime beauty, provides us with a glorious glimpse of heaven & the Creator.

Spread The Happy!!

Talk about randomness...this video will most definitely cheer you up! We all need to spread the happy! :) Thanks Dawnie for sending me the link. I LOVES IT!!

About the video: More than 200 dancers were performing their version of "Do Re Mi", in the Central Station of Antwerp. With just 2 rehearsals they created this amazing stunt! Those 4 fantastic minutes started the 23 of march 2009, 08:00 AM. It is a promotion stunt for a Belgian television program, where they are looking for someone to play the leading role, in the musical of "The Sound of Music".

Chris Botti Live in Boston

Chris Botti live at the historic Boston Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops Orchestra on Sept 2008. I've been waiting for this cd/dvd for quite a few months now. Chris Botti is quite incapable of producing a project that is less than impeccable and gut-wrenchingly beautiful. He takes it to a whole new level with this album that excites music lovers with an outstanding line-up of guest performers like John Mayer (!!!!!), Sting, Dominic Miller, Josh Groban and Yo-Yo Ma. Abi and I were just saying it's like audio porn. haha! Sting, Josh Groban and Chris sharing the same stage at once! It's crazy! Watch the videos below and you'll know what I mean.

Right now the album is only available at HMV. Clueless Gramophone staff don't even know of this album's existence or arrival. Tsk tsk!


"Glad to be Unhappy"- Chris Botti, featuring John Mayer, guitar-less!! John Mayer singing Frank Sinatra with a full orchestra...an amazing first. This classy performance makes me so happy!



"Shape of my Heart"- Chris Botti, with Sting, Dominic Miller & Josh Groban sharing the stage for the first time!