28 February 2011

I'll never walk alone

Was randomly reminded of JOSHUAB whilst in conversation last night.  It's amazing how appropriate the verse from Joshua 8:1 applies to me right now:

"Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged..."

A great comfort to remember the Lord is with me wherever I go.  Especially comforting when I have made a decision and will take action to make it happen.  It will be a big step, it might be a bit scary, but doing it with God, knowing He is there with me I know I will have the courage to carry it through.  Continuous seeking guidance and sensitivity to the Spirit will be needed during this time.  Am I ready for the big move?  Yes, Lord, I am!  =)

Back to the Gym

Returned to my passionate playground this morning - Greens Health and Fitness.  Was pretty tough getting up in the morning but after rolling about for fifteen minutes after my alarm went off I sprung out of bed and told myself I really wanna go to the gym and get back into training.  Today was the first proper session using weights again after my shoulder injury and last week's frequent late night finishes which affected my sleep.  Praise God this week I'm going to finish much earlier.  Only Friday night do I have to finish 8:30pm.  :)  Much more time to myself and more importantly, more time to get to bed!  That's if I'm not on Facebook eh!  Haha!

I have started my four day split training routine now.  Meant to do two days training, one day off, then two more days before taking the weekend off.  However, because I have a driving test on Friday morning I can't take the rest day, so will hope to do back to back days this week.  This morning was Chest and Shoulders.  Tomorrow should be Back (and I'll do some core as well).  Wednesday will be Arms and Thursday will be Legs.  By Friday morning I should be in agony but of the good sort.  The pain will be my body signalling to me the muscle fibres have been ripped and it will heal itself and grow back bigger and stronger through rest and increase in protein and other important nutrients from food.  I've decided I want to train to get bigger again.  I think the past few weeks infrequent workouts have meant I have lost some mass.  I don't feel the same size as before.  I did hear some compliments from people at the weekend but I know I can do better.  And this morning, although getting up was a struggle, by the time I left the gym I walked out to crisp fresh air and the morning light was out and my day began with me feeling refreshed and healthy and ready to tackle the day!  And I knew the struggle two hours ago was totally worth it!  =)  Roll on tomorrow!!  =)

Food

Along with my training I need to eat more as well.  My body definitely need the body fuel to keep me going.  I don't want to go through this week with any occasions of the stomach feeling empty and eventually cramping because I did not plan my lesson times properly and end up not having enough time to eat or not enough food even.  It sucks!  This machine needs it's fuel and I need to feed it whatever I can.  However, I will still try stay away from fried or deep fried foods.  Went out for Iain's birthday dinner last night at Cafe Rouge.  First time eating out this year! The steak main course came with chips.  I requested mash instead.  I have not eaten any chips this year, nor had any fizzy drinks.  I would say I have not touched sweets either, but then I remember I swallowed a large number of marshmallows whilst playing Chubby Bunny few weeks ago!  Lol!

Drink

The weather was amazing today.  It was a bit breezy but the sun was out and it was very warm in the car.  At the end of the lesson my pupil was walking towards her house and she reminded me to look after myself and to drink more water as well, especially in this warm weather and that I need to talk so much.  That was very true.  I must say, since becoming an instructor my fluid intake has totally fallen down to the bare minimum.  Simple reason is because I do not want to feel I need the toilet midway through lessons, especially when I do majority of two-hour lessons.  I remember the first month I started teaching I would have to dash to a toilet as soon as a lesson ended.  Sometimes it was worse, I'd started feeling the "need" midway through a lesson and still had to carry on the lesson until the end before everything ended, pupil walked away and then I'd make a made dash for the nearest fast food place or pub or hospital etc!  There was a few close calls I must say!!  Hahahaha!!  Ok, too much info!  But hey, I'm just being honest here.  Therefore, no more.  I just drink what I feel I need and I also cease every opportunity to use a toilet.  That way I will decrease any risk of accidents!  =P  What I plan to do is then, when I finish work I should try and drink more water, more fluid intake, be it water, tea, fruit juice, fruits, whatever.  I need to refuel my body with water to help it function properly and of course the muscles need it too!  :)

22 February 2011

Crossroads

"Seeking You as a precious jewel, Lord to give up I'd be a fool, You are my all in all..."

These lyrics are resounding inside me right now.

Today during lunch break, in the times of quietness I had time to think to myself.  I thought back to a telephone conversation had this morning as I made my way out to start work.  The conversation was offering me a chance to "further" my role as an ADI (Approved Driving Instructor).  The job involves tasks related to driving and road safety but takes me out of the car environment into classroom environments.  Would only be feasible if I were an independent driving instructor as I should be affliated with another driving school company.  I wasn't asked for an answer right away as it is already known that I am considering taking that path.  However, this opportunity will definitely take me out of my comfort zone.  After all, public speaking is not my strongest point, nor is my favourite thing to do.  The role will definitely be much more challenging than teaching pupils on a one-to-one basis.  Imagine twenty-to-one in a classroom per lecture.  Oh man!  I agreed to sit in on a couple of lectures and see what it's like first before agreeing to anything.  And in the back of my head, I know this is something to commit to God.

I'm at a crossroads right now.  I am not exactly sure which direction to head.  Things are quite uncertain for me right now and I find myself resolved to living each day as it comes and I know this is not the best way.  Certainly not my usual style of doing things.  I like to plan and know what I'll be doing.  Even if not in detail, then at least a rough idea.  But right now I don't even have a rough idea.

Do you 'work to live' or 'live to work'?

The above question gets asked a lot.  My answer has always been 'work to live'.  However, when I put in so many hours each day, each week, and I don't see the fruits of my labour, then am I really making a living out of it?  Is it slowly turning into a 'live to work' situation?  We all work for one reason - for money.  Money as income to use towards a future with marriage, getting your own home, car, children etc etc.  Money is not the be all and end all, that's right.  God is the most important treasure we can possess.  This blogpost is not about the love for money.  It is merely saying that we enter into a job usually to make money and when we change jobs we usually aim for a better income.  Right now I don't see much of a difference financially a year after being an instructor.  In fact, the hours put in are much more than before, yet the income is not very different.  The winter break icy weather really affected the transport industry and brought the country to a standstill.  The self-employed instructors were sobbing quietly in the corner when nobody else noticed.  Ok, I remember I ranted and raved on this blog.  A fat lot of good that did!  Haha!

I moaned to another driving instructor friend earlier this evening and he empathised with what I was saying.  He understands this self-employment business is not easy.  Things can be good one minute and turn bad the next and there isn't much help with it.  The income is quite unsteady.  I told him about complating further training to get additional entitlements onto my licence to enhance my job prospects.  I would really love to find some form of stable income.  Long distance driving does not put me off.  The hours could be long but would get better pay in the long run.  They say as an instructor you are "your own boss" and you "control your own hours".  No you don't!  Tomorrow I work 10am and finish 9pm.  Finish so late because I need to cater for pupils who finish work and can only do evening lessons.  If I took the "control your own hours" literally I'd say, "No, I do not work after 5pm".  But guess what?  That would cut my income by a third every day, every week, every month.  Once my "hands stop, the mouth stops eating" (Chinese saying often said by a close friend).  So in a way, I am controlled my demand!  Sick!!  On top of that, after I finish 9pm I then get home around 9:20pm and have to do admin, do lesson plans to get ready for the next day's lessons.  And I log on to Facebook/ Skype/ MSN cos I want to chat to friends, look at pictures, watch Youtube etc.  Before long it's 10pm and I should be in bed to catch my eight hours of sleep before the gym at 6:30am!  Oh, it's a hard-knock life!

So back to the time today when I was alone thinking about stuff.  I don't want a job purely for money.  I don't want to go for a job just to avoid problem pupils.  I don't want a job for status.  I can find such jobs anywhere I suppose, but ultimately I hope to find a job where the Lord is.  So I asked today in the car park, "Lord where are you?  I'll go where the Lord is."

20 February 2011

Relaxed weekend

It's 10:19pm right now and I'm going to bed after this.

Had quite an eventful weekend.  Was quite relaxing and because I done all my admin and boring stuff on Friday evening I was free to enjoy my weekend after I finished work at 2pm on Saturday (yee-haa!).  Praise God for things like retail therapy, massage therapy, movies, Google Talk and Whatsapp.

Clean or unclean

Today was a nice day.  Weather wasn't too cold.  Most importantly was not raining, so I managed to dust and hoover the car, do the safety checks for the car and spent time with God before having lunch with mum (pork chops, rice and veg).  Church was good today.  PA seemed to have been sorted out quicker than last week and Kenneth lead us in worship.  Holy Communion, felt like we didn't have that for a few months.  I think two month?  Don't quite remember, but it was a nice reminder of the sacrifice Christ made for us so that we can live freely today.  Hallelujah!  Sermon was taken from Mark 7:1-23 which was Jesus' teaching about 'clean and unclean'.  How back in the Biblical days some religious leaders, teachers and pharisees thought they honoured God by living to a set of rules and laws.  Things like washing their hands three times before eating anything, washing cutlery and equipment before using them.  If they were washed any less than three times they'd make the food 'unclean' which once consumed will make the person 'unclean' in their hearts and in their ways.  But Jesus rebuked this idea, saying that it was much more important to live a life pleasing to God overall, than to simply follow these "rituals" on the outside.  Basically we can all attend church, Bible studies, worship together, pray and do anything we want and we can look like Christians on the outside.  However, what is the state of our heart with God?  What is our relationship like with God inside?  Are we close to Him?  Are we seeking for Him?  Yearning for Him?  If not, then we do all these external things in vain.  It was a nice message.  Simple yet effective.  For myself it reminded me of myself in way.  How at the end of last year I decided to take this "one year sabbatical" away from all things relationships-related.  No chasing of girls.  No entertaining any thoughts or temptations that might give the wrong message etc.  No more thinking about finding a partner until at least one year.  Just so I can get my head straight about things and refocus on God.  But is that the right way to do it?  I know I want to submit my whole life to God again and seek Him first but for this relationship side of things, does it really take one year?  Am I just setting myself a "rule" and thinking it will help me get closer to God?  Or be less distracted?  Today's message has helped remind me that as long as I live my life seeking God first and live a life maintaining a good close relationship with God then no timescales or set rules matter.  If I put Him first and please Him first, all things will fall into place.  =)  I think I'll scrap this silly "rule".  Lol!!

The week ahead

I have a pretty busy week ahead.  Each day averaging four driving lessons.  Wednesday I will have five driving lessons!  Finish 9pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Tuesday I will finish earlier at 7:30pm and will practice some guitar.  Thursday finish 7pm and will have worship practice at 7:30pm at the Church Centre.  Looking forward to that.  :)  Saturday I am scheduled to finish 6pm and will hope to watch "Black Swan" in the evening.  Have heard so much good stuff about it but have yet to find the chance to watch it.  Let's see what God provides in terms of the times etc.  Because of a week packed with lessons I can only to go the gym in the mornings and so I will aim to go at 6:30am each morning, right on at opening time.  Hopefully be there for 6:30am and be back home for 8:30am, which will leave me around an hour to have breakfast, make lunch (usually sandwiches and fruit) and spend some time with God before officially starting my day.  All going well, this week will fly by very quickly and before I know it, it will be Sunday again and I will be enjoying the Lord's presence in church again.  Ooh yeah!  =)

Night night all!  It is now 11:05pm and I have to get up at 6am!!  =)

13 February 2011

Happy stuff

No ranting in today's post.  Haha!  I figured it gets boring to moan all the time.  I get bored of writing unhappy blogs or even reading them. I must say, the past week had been pretty tough for me but today was so different.  Today I felt quite happy inside and outside, so I want to share the things that made me happy today :)

In the morning I woke up but it was raining outside.  Although it put me off my weekly cleaning of the car (hoover and dusting) it did not put me off housework.  So after breakfast and devotionals (today's topic was taming of the tongue re. the book of James) I changed my bedsheets and pyjamas, then hoovered the house and tidied up where I could cos I can't stand mess and also because I have a guest coming up for dinnner tomorrow.  Lol!  After all that was done I showered and shaved then lunch was already waiting for me on the table.  Steak!!  =D  In fact, mum made two steaks!  I ate one steak and put the other one away as leftover because I had worship practice.  Told Katie I'd be a little late.  Traffic was very smooth sailing toward's the Church Centre so I managed to arrive pretty much on my ETA. - Happy I was productive this morning. =)

Worship run-through went well and for the first time I plugged in and was backing singer for Katie.  Not sung for worship in like ages and ages and I didn't think my voice was very good compared to others in the worship team.  But I kept reminding myself of the Audience of One and I really hoped God was pleased with the worship.  The worship session in EM went really well I thought.  I really felt in tune with God and I felt His presence among us today.  I wonder if the rest of the worshippers felt so too. - Happy worshipping in God's presence.  =)

I quickly tidied up the PA equipment and prepared for a game with the youths.  Through the week there was chat with Michelle about Chubby Bunny and I thought it'd be a good idea to get the youths together for a laugh and we could introduce it to Michelle since it was her first time.  Haha!  We had lots of marshmallows in the first round and lots of players: Me, Hong Ying, Samuel, Nathan, Ben, Tiffany, Chris Li, Michelle and Katie (did I miss anybody?).  It was such a laugh and could have gotten messy had we not prepared paper towels and a carrier bag for deposits!!  LOL!  Ben won as he could still say "Chubby Bunny!" after putting NINE pieces of marshmallows into his mouth.  Haha!  I gave in after eight pieces!  So Ben is the We still had marshmallows left after first round so new players joined in like Iain, Caleb, Henry and Rachel.  However, we ran out of marshmallows as some were nicked by others who weren't playing (grrrr! =p).  So instead of competing how many we fit into our mouths we raced to be the first to swallow all our marshmallows!  I haven't eaten any sweets so far this year, but with a mouthful of marshmallows and in such a fun and competitive environment I quickly chewed up and came third to finish.  Haha!! - Happy having good laugh with people and game reminded me of church camp days =)

After the fun I was arranging the PA to take to my car and before I started carrying the stuff I heard a wee voice call my name out.  It was the sweet voice of my little darling Arianna.  I turned around looking for her but cos she's only four it took a few second before she emerged from the crowd.  She was walking towards me smiling happily and I naturally bent down opened my arms and she came running towards me and into my arms!!  =)  This little lady never fails to make me smile.  This is how I picture it will be like when I have my own child one day, be it boy or girl.  It's so sweet to have the love and adoration of a child.  Arianna I have known her since the very first day she was born.  I carried her in my arms and I have watched her grow up.  I have said to mum through the years that if one day Aaron's family doesn't want her (not ever likely I know!) then I'd definitely take her as my own.  I really adore her to piece!  =D  After a few moments of talking and dancing about Arianna decided to help me move some PA to my car.  The keyboard legs were too heavy for her to lift so we carried a side each and walked to my car.  She helped me open the car doors as well!  So sweeet!!  =D - Happy Arianna brings me so much joy inside and makes me broody!!  =P

I went to Specsavers for a contact lense check and then saw these reaaaaally nice pair of shades by Osiris.  I tried them on and I asked the girls at the counter if the shades were available for sale as is or if I had to get them with prescription.  They checked with the manager who said it would be possible to buy them without prescription.  Cool!  But I didn't rush into it.  I asked her to keep them back for me and I'll get them next Sunday once I return for my eye check test next Sunday at 4pm.  That way I'll have time to really think about it and won't make any rash decisions and no impulse buying.  Haha! - Happy my eyes are still fine with contact lenses and that I found something really cool!  =)

Before I went home for dinner (cos I was really hungry by now!) I popped into HMV to look at blu-rays.  Wanted to check out what offers they had on.  2 for £20 was on offer for blu-rays and dvd's were 2 for £10.  I spent about an hour in HMV circling around trying to pick titles either I have not seen which interest me or titles which I've seen but I know will look extra cool on blu-ray high definition.  In the the I walked away with four films.  Hope at least one of them will be suitable for watching tomorrow evening.  Haha! - Happy with a bit of retail therapy!  =)

This coming week...

So this coming week I'm excited to announce I will return back to the gym.  My plan is, starting with tomorrow I will go to the gym each morning for a week.  I need to ease myself back into training without risking any damage to my shoulders or anywhere else for that matter.  So I will just train on resistance machines this week and go back to free weights and machines next week as I begin my new training programme.  Looking forward to it, because I really want to continue shaping and building my body and maintain the title Big G.  Hahaha!!

I'm gonna take a fresh approach to work as well.  I really thank God for blessing me with friends who care for me.  They spend time with me through the phone, text and even Google Talk when I was unhappy and gave me good advice as well.  I took the advice on board and implemented stuff during work yesterday and it already made a difference to my day yesterday.  I was so much happier as well.  A step at a time eh?  So far the first steps have been good!  Thank you guys!  =D

11 February 2011

Washed away...?

I wish sins could be washed away with my shower an hour ago.  I wish troubles could be washed away down the drain pipe as well.  I wish worries and uncertainties would vanish along with the condensation in the bathroom.  But they don't disappear as quickly as we'd like.

The first driving lesson of this morning was very taxing.  This was pupil's first lesson after two weeks of missing out.  A middle-aged Chinese wifey who needs the lesson in all Cantonese.  She's tiny.  From the start we had difficulties in getting her to push the clutch pedal fully down, so we use a booster seat for her back to push her lower half further forward to help her wee legs.  That's not an issue.  We did a recap of the previous lesson and the important MSPSL steps we take to do anything.  That is, we check our mirrors, decide if we need a signal, position our car, make sure the speed and gears match and then look into the new road that we're going in to.  The theory sounded fine and were both in agreeance with it.  The problem started when we started the car and her wee left foot had difficulty finding the biting point yet again.  We had this problem few lessons back but by now she should be ok with it.  Fine, I changed cars few weeks back but she shouldn't be that bad.  After a few starts and stops she managed to get the biting point accurately but taking like aaaaages!  I couldn't even rush her cos didn't want to make her panic.  A few times we parked by the road side and the car was going slower but still travelled too fast for a stop.  Upon checking her out again I realised she was not fully pressing the clutch down when stopping at the kerb and the car was moving at the biting point. I reminded her the clutch is always the one you press to the floor and the response was "Oh is it?" as if we hadn't covered it EVER!  So I said, "Yeah, I've been doing that since day one" and smiled.  Inside I was screaaaaaming!!!  What the heck!!  The whole lesson went on pretty shoddy and I caught her yawning a few times.  Her usual lesson time is 1-3pm but had to be earlier time of 10:30am this morning due to a driving test.  So I guess she had another excuse that she didn't have enough sleep. Sigh!!  I find my patience really tested with Cantonese lessons.  I cannot express myself or explain things as well in Cantonese as I can in English.  So telling people off I get all flustered trying to flick through my Chinese dictionary in my head finding the right words.  Argh!!!  I guess I am not very patient after all.  This job has confirmed that...

Just Go With It

This evening I went to watch Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston's movie "Just Go With It" and was hoping to be cheered up cos I've been feeling crap this passed week with so many things happening, unnecessary phone calls, unncessary meet ups, unnecessary stress and of course my recovering shoulder, which I can confirm is all 99% restored!!  However, I have yet to go back to the gym cos I kept sleeping in on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday cos I've been up dealing with stuff, thinking, blogging and praying.  It's very frustrating indeed but I hope next week will give me yet another chance to start afresh and to refocus on myself and doing the things that help make me feel happier.  The gym is my pride and joy and I have to get back into it =)

So this movie did cheer me up a wee bit, aye.  It had some funny parts in it that literally made me laugh loudly and I was not ashamed of it although I was sitting on my own in a packed Screen 9 which was full of couples all over the joint.  Couples and groups of wee kids that'd shout stuff occasionally.  Lol!  The movie plot was about a doctor who used to sleep around with girls after pretending he was married to a really abusive wife.  Until one day he found a girl whom he really liked and didn't have the ring on, but she found the ring in his pocket and went mad.  He then had to spin a story that was he was in the middle of a divorce from this "wife" and enlisted the help of his work assistant/secretary to pretend to be the wife.  And there the movie starts off, lie after lie, lies to cover other lies and in the end he discovers who he really loved.  Kinda cliche but kinda different too.  It was nice and made me think about stuff.  Sometimes the shiny young hot blonde ain't the answer to everything.  Haha!!

10 February 2011

Free to jump

How I long to be free from sin, free from bondage, free from troubles of life, free from worries of the world.  However, life can't be all plain sailing, can it?  Some stuff that trouble me I brought upon myself.  This I know and I regret, repent and turn away.  But have I let go?  If so, will it still trouble me?  There are times I realise I bring troubles and worries upon myself because I haven't truly let go.  I am still curious about certain things, and I check them out, and I let my findings 'affect' me.  This can be positive or negative effects.  Probably cos I still care.  I know if I feed my 'curiosity' there is a 50-50 chance I can be affected positively, yet at the same there is also the negative part to deal with.  What if?  It's still a big risk isn't it?  50-50 chance of making the wrong decision.  Sometimes you take the plunge: you hold your breath, you close your eyes, go by faith and jump!  The moments you are in 'freefall' feel very surreal.  You've done it.  You've taken the gamble.  You've taken the risk.  This 'freefall' moment can last for any length of time: seconds, minutes, days or months (you get the drift), then just like a parachuter when you fall pass all the clouds and the air clears up, you start to see which 'landing pad' you will end up on.  Remember it's 50-50.  You chose to take the leap.  Nobody pushed you.  You had the time to think things through.  You jumped knowing you might land on gold or you might land on manure (just random examples guys!).

The jump

I took that jump.  In fact, I take these "jumps" every day.  We all do.  Mini "jumps" or big "jumps", they are still risks.  The "jump" I took recently has landed me in manure and I can't blame anybody but myself.  I am heavily disappointed.  I really thought the 50% of "gold" would be enough for me to land on.  But no, I ended up in manure (I'm not in trouble, don't worry, again just example words).  What can I do?  Once I can stand up and get out I will catch my breath (it's gonna smell reaally bad) and I will start cleaning myself off these things.  Cleaning the crap off.  And hope that the stench will wear off after numerous showers, scrubbing.  But that's gonna be of no help if I wear the same clothes that I wore when I fell into the manure.  How can I be free from stench if I clean myself yet still put on the old stinky clothes?  Decision: get rid of the old clothes too.  In fact, burn them.  Get something new.  Be free from the stinky clothes.  Tonight I have decided to do that.  Burn stinky stuff...

The title of my blog is My Life's Lessons.  Well what did I learn from this?  Well, here's what I learnt.  Stick to what you know best.  If you take a long time to trust someone, to take a risk with them, then just keep doing that.  I changed my ways of doing things and took a "jump".  That's why I now stink.  Lesson point of the day: "Do not trust easily, Gordon!".

07 February 2011

Nosy people

I should watch who I open up to sometimes.  I think a storm is now brewing.  I think I am about to suffer repercussions over stuff I've said during a moment when I felt trust and when I let myself be vulnerable.

I might be wrong though, but the feelings I get inside is of nostalgia.  Nostalgia, not of the good kind, but the kind that makes me wanna say, "What the heck!  Not this again?  Why this all over again??!"

I wish people will leave me alone.  Why can I be left alone?  Why do people have to mind my business and ask questions or ask to speak to me?  I've done it all before.  Been there, done that.  Doesn't work.  Why do I have to meet people that I don't want?  Am I too soft?  Can't I say no??

Of course I can say No, but then I will always think what if people think I have something to hide?  In fact I have nothing to hide.  Whatever you ask of me you will get 100% truthful and honest answers.  Ok, I will arm myself for that.

Just don't ask questions if you don't think you can handle the answers.  And once I give my answers, just take them, digest them and leave.  Don't come running back with questions or whatever.  You had the opportunity to ask more at that point.  Accept me for who I am and move on!

Ultimately... I think all this trouble stems from one source...

04 February 2011

One body many parts

My right shoulder is currently in agony.  I've just finished typing up a testimony about God's Divine Intervention so that's the important sharing done and this is just a wee bonus blogpost to update y'all with what's happening in my life.  I know people have been reading my blog.  Beats me why my life is interesting to others, but I do appreciate the support.

Retreat

The venue for the weekend retreat changed very last minute but we thank God for providing for us and He truly showed us that we should fully rely on Him.  Only He can provide for us, even when the future seems bleak and we might find ourselves running out of time or coming to the end of a train track.  For many people it was their first retreat.  This was also my first retreat - my first retreat commuting back home for the two nights.  The bedding capacity decreased to around 60% of the original numbers, so I volunteered to drive home since the campsite was only 20mins drive from city centre.  Left very late on Friday night and a bit early on the Saturday night.  It was not easy though.  Leaving time to drive to and fro meant less time for sleeping and less time for socialising.  I cannot say that I spent much quality time chatting to people at this retreat and getting to know anybody better.  A real shame really, even my small group members I would have wanted to sit with them at dinner times and for us to chill out.  Anyway, we had fun doing the skit stuff and overall we all had a blessed time.  One of the greatest blessings at this retreat was the news that Gary Chan accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour.  Whoo-hoo!  Praise God!!  =D

Compliments

I received two compliments at this retreat as well for my guitar playing.  Two brothers said I've been playing very well and improved a lot from last time.  I was very surprised to hear that but I have to give all glory and honour to God.  They also advised me to change my guitar strings which I will do so real soon.  These strings have served me very well indeed.  They were the original strings on the guitar when I first bought it around 2001!  =P  I also received a note in my encouragement sock and this person mentioned on the end of the note that they will continue reading my blog.  Was surprised they read it too, but I'll give you a wee shout out now!  Hiya!!  Haha!!  God bless you!  =)

Shoulder

I returned to the gym on Wednesday morning.  Had hoped to go on Tuesday morning after giving myself Monday to catch up on some sleep, but ended up having a really sore throat Monday and Tuesday.  That was a sign of me falling ill.  It always starts like that.  Symptoms of sore throat followed with groggy-ness around the nasal area and feeling of ears getting blocked up which I clear with yawning.  But I really thank God for sustaining me through those two days as I returned to work and now my throat is totally fine.  However, it appears that Wednesday's training session did some harm to my right shoulder.  There could only be two things that might have caused this.  The incline bench press or the power clean exercises.  Come to think of it, it must have been the power clean and press exercises because I can remember feeling really tired at one point and pushed on to finish my six reps.  So there was a slight tingle of my right shoulder yesterday morning and there'd a slight funny feeling whenever I raised my hand up above shoulder height.  Today I went to the gym with Vince and only did light workouts hoping to loosen up any tense muscles and when to chill at the jacuzzi and sauna steam room.  The muscle felt great during the relaxation time but after I left the gym the shoulder started freezing up and now any movement causes pain.

It's times like these when you realise how important every part of your body is.  Here's what shoulder pain can affect: putting hand in pocket to get car key, opening and closing car door, steering, opening and closing car boot, putting key into keyhole on door, carrying gym bag, pouring water into kettle to make tea, sometimes holding a knife to cut dinner on a plate, washing of dishes, turning lights on and off and changing clothes.  How many times a day do we do these things without any thought to it.  How many times do we take our health for granted and not appreciate every body part functioning together to make things work?  There's a verse in the Bible that reads:

1 Corinthians 12:21-22 "The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable..."

So my right hand cannot say to my shoulder "I don't need you!" cos right now even if my hand wants to reach for something, like say my computer mouse, it cannot do it quick as quick as it usually can because the shoulder is weak and sore.  So there!  Every part of your body is important.  Learn to appreciate your body and look after it well dudes!  I'm gonna rest here.  Will watch Hustle on BBC iPlayer now.  Haha!

p.s. before I go, just to update, that's me gone one month and four days without drinking any fizzy drinks and without eating any sweets.  I had a risotto from Dino's today though.  Was totally unplanned and I blame the cinema for making last minute changes which meant I had no time to make/bring food for post-workout!!  Grrr!  Well at least I went a month without any eating out.  =)  The risotto tasted quite salty!