Switchfoot: Sacred and Secular
POSTED AT 11:58 PM in thoughts

natanna

For some reason, I found the whole Switchfoot concert a profoundly spiritual experience. It was the sacred speaking its piece through the secular, in an especially poignant manner. Don't ask me how, don't ask me why.

I've always found Switchfoot's lyrics very deep and meaningful (as you'll probably know if you've been around here long enough) but maybe it was just the whole effect of a live show bringing things to new light. Or maybe I'm just over-analysing everything. As usual.

And I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope 

Overwhelmingly prayerful. And throughout the whole song, I was just agreeing in my spirit, oh yes, Jesus. To be only yours. It was like the deep calling out to deep, if that's the right expression.

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

It was also an interesting experience to hear the crowd sing, including the Malay girl standing next to me, these lyrics. I couldn't help wondering, do they know redemption? Have they seen forgiveness? Do they understand salvation? Or is it just another song, just another set of lyrics? Just another nice phrase to a nice melody? Do you understand what you're singing?

this is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be
when the world was younger and you had everything to lose

And the best for the night:

They tell you where you need to go
They tell you when you'll need to leave
They tell you what you need to know
They tell you who you need to be

But everything inside you knows
There's more than what you've heard
There's so much more than empty conversations
Filled with empty words

And you're on fire
When He's near you
You're on fire
When He speaks
You're on fire
Burning at these mysteries

Give me one more time around
Give me one more chance to see
Give me everything You are
Give me one more chance to be... (near You)

Cause everything inside me looks like
Everything I hate
You are the hope I have for change
You are the only chance I'll take

When I'm on fire
When You're near me
I'm on fire
When You speak
And I'm on fire
Burning at these mysteries
These mysteries...

I'm standing on the edge of me [x3]
I'm standing on the edge of everything I've never been before.
And I've been standing on the edge of me
Standing on the edge

And I'm on fire
When You're near me
I'm on fire
When You speak
(Yea) I'm on fire
Burning at these mysteries... these mysteries... these mysteries
Ah you're the mystery
You're the mystery

I think this is really where I'm standing now. Right on the edge of who I am, who I've become, who I'm meant to be. And I'm peering at it, wondering at the mystery of the future, the mystery of who He really is, and of who I really am.

But everything inside you knows
There's more than what you've heard
There's so much more than empty conversations
Filled with empty words

It just feels like a lot of my conversations are empty words. I think this was the initial spark that set off the whole current of thoughts during the concert (This song was quite early in the set), and you must be thinking, what on earth is Anna doing, thinking all this stuff during a rock concert of all things?

I don't know. But like I said, in the midst of the noise and the crowd, and the hype and excitement, something spoke to me out of the depths of my heart, bringing to the forefront all the things I have always loved about the band. The way they bring the depth of a spiritual life into their songs. The way the words lead you on and bring you to a deep longing for more, dropping hints along the way to a better solution. The way it stirs up a desire in your heart to live better. To live brighter. To find the it they seem to have.

And all this without preaching. All this without pushing a message down your throat.

This is what Christian music should be.

This is what our art should be.

There is no secular.

No sacred.

Only You. 

Fwd: petition online - Bus Crash No More (reposted as received)
POSTED AT 11:57 PM

natanna

Petitions To Have Safer Bus Rides For Long Distance Route

We, the concerned youths of Malaysia express appalled anger towards the Slim River Bus Crash incident that claimed the life of Lee Nian Ning and two others on the 25^th of January 2008. This is not the first time that such an incident has occurred. Despite numerous complaints and public uproar in the past, incidents like this continue to occur. It was reported that the driver’s company had 13 summonses on that bus itself. We find it unacceptable that such a company could have operated that vehicle on the road.

What are the explanations?

Hundreds of thousands of university students just like Nian Ning and us rely on such public transport to travel back home. A human life should not be taken lightly.

How could a vehicle with 13 summonses be free on the roads and not be held by the authorities?

We, the following, hereby demand that the relevant authorities set up a committee consisting of road safety experts and representatives from relevant public bodies to conduct a thorough study to find effective solutions to ensure that mistakes like this do not occur again in the future.

We will not quiet up until we see it in the media that satisfactory measures have been taken.

'Chung Lern smsed me this afternoon saying that the family will be taking action against Konsortium and he asked me to help propagate this message to the entire blogosphere. I will try my very best. Please help put the word out there so that the victims of the bus crash can come together to take action against the bus company together.'

TO SIGN THE PETITION, PLEASE GO TO http://buscrashnomore.blogspot.com/

Feb 06, 2008: Chinese New Year Eve.
POSTED AT 09:53 AM

natanna

We were given compulsory annual leave today (meaning yesterday cos I drafted this yesterday), so I took the opportunity to set up a breakfast date with Trixie, my college friend from KL. The market was full at 9 in the morning (well, nine-ish, because we didn't get up so early) and most of the food stalls were either closed or sold out. Trixie was amazed at having koay teow th'ng for RM2.50, but I told her the price was probably already jacked up for chinese new year. Took a short stroll along the beach where we chatted about life and collected some shells just so she could make her brothers jealous.

Lunch with my mom's side, and dinner with my dad's. Noisy, and full of family. Also very full of dog. For some weird reason, their idiot dog kept trying to follow me around. I think it sensed that I didn't like it. Grr. Bad dog!

The funny thing is I'm totally not hyped up about the celebrations at all. If anything, I was a little upset at the compulsory leave because I had originally planned to use the day to catch up on some backlog at work. I think the workaholism in my job is getting to me. Sad, huh. But I didn't get anything done at home anyway. Yeesh.

Oh yes, you know those turning glass thingies that you put on the table to your food on? The ones that you usually only get in restaurants? I don't know what it's called, but we broke one yesterday. Haha. In Unc Geoff's house. Because the steamboat machine was too hot. I think we also half-melted a plastic container. The Tan family strikes again.

So now... it's off for more food soon. And the angpow collection! Woohoo

Feb 07, 2008: First day
POSTED AT 09:25 PM

natanna

There's nothing much to say about today. We visited my extended family, on both sides, had good food, collected angpow, watched TV again, and then went home, after which I spent a lot of time on Facebook playing puzzlebee.

The thing that struck me most today was the fact that even Christians are going around using all the traditional jargon of Luck and Prosperity. Okay, fine, prosperity is a pretty general term. But luck? And what's the deal with the year of the rat thing? I mean yeah, happy new year or blessed new year and all that, but why the rat stuff? It's not as if we actually believe in that Chinese zodiac thing. Isn't this something we should have broken out of already?

angst
POSTED AT 11:11 PM

natanna

I hate you because everything you are reveals everything i hate about myself.

I hate you because everything you do shows up everything i can't. 

I hate you because i can't do everything you expect me to; because everything you think i'm supposed to know, I don't. 

I hate you, because I can't handle me. 

POSTED AT 12:24 AM

natanna

I HATE YOU BECAUSE YOU MAKE ME FEEL STUPID.

AND FEELING STUPID MAKES ME CRY.

sugarhighs
POSTED AT 12:37 PM

natanna

I need healthy doses of McD's fries, hash browns, chocolates and ice-cream to make me happy. Sugar is good for you. Carbos are good for you. It makes you happy happy happy and clap your hands.

And Sam believes in random because extremes need nonsensical justfications. I believe in random because it makes me feel happy. I need random and extremes because it's the only way to stay sane. Without complaining. Though complaining makes me feel happy too. Then I feel trashy because I was probably being mean and overcritical.

I'm sorry, I've just been having a tough time at work... and a tough time dealing with extremely irresponsible idiots, whom I still want to punch their brains out.

But anyway, here's to Clarene, Mark and Joshua who totally made my day today! Whee...

I think I've just had a bit too much sugar.  

 

indications
POSTED AT 12:10 AM

natanna

When you go back to your office block after work, and notice that all the lifts have stopped at your office floor...

you know that only yours is the only office open after office hours. 

In other words, you know your colleagues are WAY too "hardworking" and so are you.

 

promo
POSTED AT 02:09 PM

natanna

Well, a little bit of free promo.

Check out Let's Dance

 

because if this is really their Penang studio, it looks good!

And it's kind of accessible

Except parking might be dodgy. Bleh.

Just have to see if I'm free! Haha. Any takers? 

Also found this. 

Alright. That's it for today. 

shorts
POSTED AT 10:41 PM

natanna

... what they don't understand is that i always felt happier when my roommate when home for the weekend...

---

I don't need fancy titles
Or all your bling-bling
You just can't be nice
and that doesn't swing

"Little Things", Paolo Delfino

---

Happy Birthday, Yu Yuan!

---

They say you have to hit rock bottom before you rise again, but how far down is rock bottom? How do you know when you've hit it, and how to get back up again? Is it possible to raise rock bottom so you don't have to fall so far?

---

Couldn't find you
In the noise and the crowds
in the lights
blinding
bling-bling
the songs that soar
the words that don't matter
often repeated
often said
often wished
still untrue

Couldn't love you
pure enough
true enough
strong enough
more than enough
turn away
too good
too much for me

Couldn't give you
what you said you wanted
what you said i should
what i felt i could
but wouldn't
or couldn't
or wasn't enough
but needed to
desperately

But you were there
in the dark
through the tears
in the silences
of my heart

And it's really all about you
isn't it?

---

I've given up listening to the words. It's the silences that often matter the most.

---

Oh yes, go listen to Paolo: http://www.myspace.com/paolodelfino

Shamelessly plugging.

I should plug for Josh too. Go.

---

Unphantomable.

Hm. =) 

JR
POSTED AT 10:53 PM

natanna

I miss...

dropping by JR at any odd hour of the day and being able to find someone to eat with me.

Even if all they did was watch me eat.