26th February 2008

Jon Foreman came out with a few solo albums; Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer EP, whereby it's not a rock band that is involved; Jon wanted some time alone for more intimate and soul searching thoughts. This is when Jon Foreman opens up to everyone, and talks about his faith. Those looking for fun pop tunes can look at any number of Switchfoot's releases, but Foreman taps into the more frail elements of human nature and the spiritual realm on his solo material. A lot of Switchfoot fans will now get to know the God that Jon Foreman believes in. He's formalizing his faith now. The songs are all acoustic.

The first song of the Winter EP is Learning How to Die. Here are Jon's handwritten lyrics of the song.

26th February 2008

Came back from a chalet; before that went for a funeral.

Life begins at the intersection; what direction now!?

Salvaging from the spiritual shipwreck; I want to wake up without a touch of gold.

The flowers cut and brought inside
Black cars in a single line
Your family in suits and ties
And you’re free

The ache I feel inside
Is where the life has left your eyes
I’m alone for our last goodbye
But you’re free

I remember you like yesterday
Yesterday
I still can’t believe you’re gone
Oh I remember you like yesterday
Yesterday
And until I’m with you, I carry on

Adrift on your ocean floor
I feel weightless numb and sore
A part of you and me is torn
You’re free

I woke from a dream last night
I dreamt that you were by my side
Reminding me I still had life
In me

I remember you like yesterday
Yesterday
I still can’t believe you’re gone
Oh I remember you like yesterday
Yesterday
And until I’m with you, I carry on

I’ll carry on, I’ll carry on

Every lament is a love song
Yesterday, yesterday
I still can’t believe you’re gone

Every lament is a love song
Yesterday, yesterday
So long my friend, so long

19th February 2008

The term "awakening dream" is an oxymoron. Pointedly(oxy) stupid(moron). But it really rings true to me, so maybe I'm an oxymoron too.

Anyways, there are many good reads on Christian apologetics that I've come across. One will soon realize that they are never a solution formula in itself. More questions would arise and reopen previous seemingly sealed cases. But they are a good kick start to the concept of an infinite God requiring infinite solutions that only an infinite wisdom could suffice. Ah well, talking in circles again.

It's not everyday that you get a dream like that twice in a row.

10th February 2008

Watched a movie with the church youths today. A boy, who was actually played by a girl, is the son of Stephen Chow, an impoverished widower. It was one of the more meaningful movies I've watched (compared to the last few horror movies that some of us viewed).

The movie reminded me of the gospel though. There was one scene whereby this unseen hand placed a "battery" into this green gooey ball. The ambiance was akin to that of outer space. Following that, I had the impression that this furry creature (which it later transformed into) was sent into Earth, not to be served, but to serve. Initially, the boy who owned this "pet" believed it to have magical powers, but was disappointed when it did not create any device for the boy to cheat in his exam nor any trainer shoes to make him athletically invincible. The end result was that the poor creature was widely scorned and ill-treated by the boy. Towards the end, the boy's father suffered from a tragic accident and died, only to be "redeemed" from death by the sacrifice of the fur ball, who exchanged its own life for its owner's father. A couple of days mourning for the loss of his poor toy later, this UFO appeared and brought this fur ball back to the little boy back to him (as well as a comedic twist of having hundreds of similar fur balls to the entire community), which was giving me an impression that the fur ball resurrected.

What was more intriguing was the way the appearance of this toy changed the situation that the boy lived in, as well as the people around him. All's well that ends well, as Shakespeare would say. Apparently, what was more striking was the portrayal of how the boy, after the sacrifice of the fur ball, realized what a "sinner" he was, and had quite a huge change of heart, now determined to listen to his father and to uphold the moral and ethics that he emphasizes (we may be poor, but we don't steal, fight, etc.), as well as study hard and grow to become a fine man useful to the society.

Not a single person I asked shared the same view. Woah, maybe I'm just thinking too much.

9th February 2008

:-):-S:$;-D:-o;):-PB-)

What was I thinking!? Er, I'm just following a certain pastor's wife's peculiar habit of adorning text messages with a myriad of similes, who also just came back from East Malaysia today. She also stated she missed us, even though it was only one week!

God Bless and belated CNY