Before I sleep tonight, the word thanksgiving and the music in this clip by George Winston settles me down 
The Micah Mandate hopes to have a new look soon. We are slowly getting more pieces and I’m looking forward to see them come up next week. It’s been quite a learning curve for the initiators as we wear more than 2-3 hats in difference spheres. We try our very best. :-) Thanks for the support thus far. This year has been an eventful year! More to come I guess .
Commentary
God Moves In A Mysterious Way By Bob Teoh
It was the famous British poet and hymn writer, William Cowper (1731-1800), who composed “God Moves in a Mysterious Way.” The Selangor Police seemingly moves in a mysterious way too, judging from their conspicuous absence at the candlelight vigil at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre last evening ..
Read the article…
Commentary
Perhimpunan Mesra Rakyat - Scenes From The PJ Anti-ISA Vigil By Sivin Kit
I arrived late almost at 9pm. So, I missed what KJ John said in the videos above. Thanks to SC Lee for uploading them so we could still get the gist of what he was saying. It’s worth the 2 minutes. ..
Read the article…
Peter’s Pithy Pointers
Micah Mandate Weekly Bible Challenge (updated weekly)
Elysia is not feeling well right now. So she’s not her bubbly self like in the video above (which I took in 2007). It was a fun and cute moment captured on my old Canon A70.
The year 2008 seems to be coming to an end very quickly. I wonder whether we really for forward to what’s ahead in 2009. I suppose we don’t know what to really expect. How about hope for the best but prepare for the worst?
Whenever I’m tempted to be more cynical than I should be, I watch videos like this one to remind myself of the wonder of being childlike and not losing the innocence we need to remain human. I’m not talking about naivety or being ignorant. I’m talking about hearts that remaining soft and tender open to new discoveries and hopeful surprises even after brutal setbacks and disappointments.
Even for a bubbly energetic Elysia, she has her down times too. Times when she is not singing her usual songs. But then, unlike many of us she doesn’t stay there too long. The tune is still humming somewhere and waiting for her to return to normal and then we her music from her again.
Get well soon Elysia. Get well soon all those who are sick . or those who have lost their song to sing.
Better Late than Never: "Perhimpunan Mesra Rakyat" (PJ Anti-ISA Vigil), Sunday,16 November 2008
Sivin Kit's Garden
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I arrived late almost at 9pm. So, I missed what KJ John said in the videos above. Thanks to SC Lee for uploading them so we could still get the gist of what he was saying. It’s worth the 2 minutes.
As I walked towards the crowd gathered at the PJ Civic Centre, I was delightfully surprised that we still had a substantial crowd considering the events last Sunday.
Again like the previous vigils before this, there was a good mixture of people from different age groups as well as races and religions. Of course, the unifying factor more specifically was that all who were there stood against what we believe to be unjust laws for today such as the Internal Security Act (ISA). We were there to stand in solidarity with those who are still detained without trial.
But more broadly I believe we were there because we stood for being part of the Malaysian family, some would call it “Bangsa Malaysia” and working together for a better tomorrow. So, to call it “Perhimpunan Mesra Rakyat” had it’s place because that is what we look forward to (or may that was what we were even trying to demonstrate in the present)!
Upon arrival I was immediately offered a candle to light not knowing the terms and conditions for the gathering that night which many have already highlighted their irony. I only realized I broke the rules after I came home and read Anil Netto’s blog post LIVE: Restrictive permit fails to spoil “best vigil so far” . I came later so I missed the briefing in the beginning. So, I was innocently ignorant of the rules when I was asked to say a few words by Richard Yeoh while holding a candle in my hand! (I was also totally unaware a church member recorded me while I was speaking, so that’s a double blur on my part)
Just to highlight a few of the restrictions (With comments, trying to be seriously humorous at the same time if you don’t mind):
- No candles allowed
No candles for candlelight vigils? Okay, we could innovate, torch lights next week (no cleaning wax problems later)? Hibiscus flowers for a change? Flower vigil?
- No T-shirts showing support for the Abolition of the ISA allowed
Opps some of us came with Bebas Malaysia Dari ISA badges, others with T-shirts and all. On second reading, only no T-shirts, buttons and badges can!
- “Penganjur dilarang melakukan sebarang aktiviti yang lain yang melambangkan simpati terhadap tahanan Akta Keselamatan Negara”(Organisers are prohibited from any other activity that suggests sympathy towards ISA detainees!)
We could of course show sympathy to the family members of the ISA detainees at least. Ah . from a psychological perspective we have moved from sympathy to empathy. Empathy is ok, in fact better!)
- No banners or distribution of leaflets allowed
Save the trees and environment!
- No political speeches allowed
Of course, there are those who would like to define the word political in much more broader terms in its relation to our everyday lives.
I suppose speeches which deal with human suffering, justice and peace, citizenship, neighborliness, compassion, accountability, . . . the list goes on, concerns which affect our everyday life as citizens of Malaysia should be permissible.
It was good to see the more prominent faces from the civil society groups, bloggers and politicians. But at the end of the day, the best part of vigils like this is when ordinary people like you and me step out either for the first time, or continually to speak out at least by our presence in events like these to send a strong message to those elected into power and the administration of the nation on what we as the people stand for, and that’s what elected leaders need to reflect in their service to the nation.
So all in all, it was a good candlelight vigil. It was extra good that the peaceful gathering of concerned Malaysians could sing the national anthem NegaraKu in closing uninterrupted.
If you’ve forgotten how to laugh with no reservations, I dedicate this to you
I took this video years ago with my Canon A70, this is a better quality version of it uploaded on the net.
This is so refreshing!
I’d love to be part of a worship gathering which has music like this!
I showed this clip as an opening for my “Slowing down time” sermon today. After the clip, members were asked to break into groups of 3-4 to talk about “What does it all mean for me and us now?”
ETERNAL GOD,
Give us discerning hearts
to recognize
the fear in our anger,
the muffled hope in our cynicism,
and the wounds we carry as weapons.
Help us see ourselves as you see us,
and love ourselves and others
with your gracious love.
Amen.- Melissa Tidwell
Alive Now Magazine
The world we live in seems to be like a train on the fast track, I don’t think it’s going to slow down any soon. At times I wonder whether we are going to crash into the destruction set in motion by our own doing.
Changes happen faster then the latest computer model, so often without warning and anyway we can predict it’s coming or outcome. Time and space is experienced as compressed and extended at the same time. Mere mortals we are, trying to live as immortals who do not need to sleep or eat properly. The rhythm of life gone haywire.
Chaos abounds. Inner chaos probably much more worse then the chaos we read in the papers. The noise around us shouting for our attention. Some needed, others unnecessary. A lot of it hard for us to distinguish whether it’s needed or necessary. But we need the energy to see the difference, before we can really make a difference.
The secret thoughts and emotions residing in our minds and hearts can be a can of worms. To be fair, there are moments where it’s a beautiful garden blossoming with such beauty that we are amazed ourselves and cry out - “There is a God . one who’s artistic and creative, and we’re his creatures reflecting that.” Sadly, a big chunk of the time we are battling demons coming in the forms of attractive angels. Getting a little graphic here, but in concrete terms these are the real battles we wage when no one is looking. We may want to hope, but the force is strong in cynicism these days. Being naive is not an option after being burnt more than once, but losing our innocence that’s another matter all together.
Wounds . ah . those wounds. Not scars mind you, scars leave a mark but don’t hurt anymore. Wounds are fresh and sensitive. The pain is immediate and if we are not careful get infected easily when they face another cut. We need protection. We need medication. We need healing. Caution is a must if we don’t want to strike out in defensive measures reactively. Some friends who can restraint us might come in handy
Like the old song use to sing . . . “I’m in a crazy crazy world . . . “
The reasons for all the mish-mash of all the above surely can be dissected by the smart and intelligent. But sometimes, their theories ring hollow because so called objective detached analysis lacks not just what’s humane but basic humanity. And yet, we cannot be overwhelmed by our own subjectivity that we lose sight of what is really going on.
The tectonic shifts in culture, politics, religion, economics, the environment whether under the radar or smack in our face are changing the face of the earth we are living in. The pressures from the outside it pushes onto us are tremendous . whether it’s perceived illusionary or critically real may be up for debate, but the reaction of people is as concrete as it can be. Slipping more into our cocoon, being more protective over ourselves, and keeping out distance with people as well as events looks like the survival mode any sane human would do.
The internal conflicts generated psychologically, and even spiritually are harder to decipher but the rate relationships are breaking up, poor choices made, tensions in partnerships, and the lose of direction or purpose in individuals are spiking high these days. So all the best resources in understanding ourselves, keeping our faith in check and a holistic spirituality is on the table.
In the light of all this, the prayer above does wonders. Words are offered to us so we can articulate beyond our original capabilities some level of sanity in an insane world.
Discerning hearts. I love the phrase. And I love the process these two words do to us . . . facing ourselves honestly, critically and yet affirmatively. In the case of one who seeks to love God and others in and through Jesus Christ, I’m moved first to let his love do some needed work too. Hidden work of reorientation of our attention, realigning of priorities, at the same time, inner surgical work that removes tumors of darkness, so the grace of healing will begin.
Seeing ourselves as you see us . . . getting to the seeing ourselves is one step, but seeing ourselves as you see us now that’s one area which we often miss. Maybe we are afraid of what we will see, but then again I think when we grow in a better view of who God is and how he sees us, it’s less horrifying even though some level of fearful reverence is good.
With your gracious love. . . so we dry up . . . hey, what do we expect? Unlimited flow of energy, love, attention, etc. Mortals we are, Superhuman we are not. A refill is needed from time to time. But let’s not wait until our love fuel tanks are empty and we’re stuck on the road of life before we get some new fuel here. A pit stop anyone? It’s been some time . do it now before it’s too late. Even when God is gracious to bail us out so often, sad to say some damage has already been done. So, a voice is calling in our wilderness, a voice calling for discerning hearts to respond, “Here I am, I’m coming!”
This is the first time I’m listening to Phil Wickham. I like it . and it’s Free!
Rolling on the floor laughing .. okay . I’m in the mood of laughing!