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

Stars

Lyrics:
Maybe I’ve been the problem
Maybe I’m the one to blame
But even when I turn it off and blame myself the outcome feels the same
I’ve been thinking maybe I’ve been partly cloudy
Maybe I’m the chance of rain
And maybe I’m overcast
And maybe all my luck’s washed down the drain

I’ve been thinking about everyone
Everyone you look so lonely

But when I look at the stars
When I look at the stars
When I look at the stars
I see someone else
When I look at the stars
The stars
I feel like myself

Stars looking at a planet watching entropy and pain
And maybe start to wonder how the chaos in our lives could pass as sane
I’ve been thinking about the meaning of resistance
Of a hope beyond my own
And suddenly the infinite and penitent begin to look like home

I’ve been thinking about everyone
Everyone you look so empty

Everyone, everyone, we feel so lonely
Everyone, everyone, we feel so empty

When I look at the stars I feel like myself
When I look at the stars I see someone

1st February 2008

Eek! It was only now that I noticed that for a lot of my previous posts, I labeled their year as 2007! Yes, I know that if I add a suffix of st/nd/rd/th behind the date, I must include and of, to make it something like 1st of February. But damn it, I'm not cut out for this. XD

Switchfoot paid a visit to Temasek Junior College before their performance at Max Pavilion, where I was. Aww, how I wish I was there.

I went for the Switchfoot Live in Singapore Concert yesterday! Me, Jony, Yuan and Yuan's friend, Julian. Switchfoot's first album was The Legend of Chin, because at first the band was called Chin Up, after a friend called Willis Chin. This also follows Isaiah 6, where we first look up to God, before looking inside and then outside ourselves.

"We called our album Legend of Chin out of respect for our friend back in San Diego," says drummer Chad Butler. "He's such a great guy. A real smiler, too. The kind of guy who always has his chin up!" (Pun intended.)

"Willis is definitely one of our heroes," says guitarist-songwriter Jon Foreman. "He's so real and so consistent in living out his faith. He's no fake. And that's what we hope our album is all about—about being real, no matter what the situation or circumstance."

"And we are trying to show people where true hope is found," says bassist Tim Foreman. "And Willis knows exactly where his hope is found."

"Then there's our song, 'Ode to Chin,'" says Chad. "It's a tribute to Willis. It's about being accountable to someone like Willis. ... This song is also about keeping your eyes on the Lord."

Chin also plays in a band called Movement Oust, and you can sometimes find him leading worship at Calvary Chapel North Coast in San Diego, CA.

Then Jony kept on rubbing his chin when I told him that. Hilarious.

Damn, you can already go to youtube, search for Switchfoot Singapore, and videos are already uploaded. The entrance said no video and audio recording, but at least 10% of the crowd took out their mobile phones as soon as Switchfoot started their first song.

It was a bit of a screw up. We reached at 6+, waited until 8 to gain entry. As expected, the concert started half an hour late. We had to listen to two local bands, whose names I didn't even bother remembering. Sitting through 7 agonizing songs for one hour. Woah, they planned to play EIGHT songs! Luckily the second band canceled one. Too bad, both bands couldn't move almost the entire audience to move and sing along. They were quite talented, but most of us never heard of them, wanted to see Switchfoot and they played an overwhelming of songs. After the first band finally dismissed themselves off, and the host announced that a second local band will be coming, I could feel the tension rise.

It was also yesterday night that the phrase "My granny can scrap better than that" was redefined. When the second band was playing, a lady seated a few rows from us around her fifties took out her earpieces when the second local band performed and listened to her mp3/Walkman/whatever. Either that or she covered her ears with them.
She:
1. Was there ALONE for a concert.
2. Was there for a ROCK concert at a rather awkward age.
3. Was there for a $70/$80 concert.
4. Was using her earpieces even though the cacophony from the band was overwhelming enough to drown out all other sound.
5. Was sitting at one corner, staring at the floor, even though everyone else (including me) was foolish enough to at least show our faces to the band.
6. Kept the earpieces only after that band excused themselves from the stage.
7. PWNed.

Hidden Text. Oh man, the starting was garbage. You may be like; "Come on, it's the first time you heard them, be easy on them" but no, it sucks ass from a straw. Okay, maybe that was a little bit too tough.

Then came Switchfoot. Compare the reactions of the crowd as soon as they came in to that of when the local bands were trying their best to stir up the crowd, and the verdict is obvious.

They played sixteen songs, excluding a Switchfoot version of Beyonce's Crazy In Love, of which an excerpt was used in conjunction to with Gone to form a medley. They are:
1. Oh! Gravity
2. Stars
3. This Is Your Life
4. We Are One Tonight
5. The Shadow Proves The Sunshine
6. Ammunition
7. Only Hope
8. Gone
9. On Fire
10. Dirty Second Hands
11. American Dream
12. Learning To Breathe
13. Awakening
14. Meant to Live
15. Twenty-Four
16. Dare You to Move
(I tried to recall the order as best as I can. They would most probably be quite a big number of mistakes around the middle.)

I remember the way they started their concert. They played some riffs, played the starting part of Meant to Live, made the crowd crazy, then immediately shifted to Oh! Gravity. Yuan was the first to identify that song; my was he fast. After that song finished, they played more riffs and proceeded to present the famous intro of Stars. I doubt the crowd could have went even more crazy then that. Yuan was grinning out his tooth, for God sakes. We Are One Tonight and The Shadow Proves The Sunshine were a medley. Awakening was killer. If only Yap Ning was there, then I would go, "Hey! Awake-Ning!"

There was one part where Jonathan Foreman's cable broke. Maybe he was rocking too hard. Anyway, he borrowed Phil's guitar instead. Andrew Philip Shirley is a guitarist and the newest member of the rock band Switchfoot. Shirley attended California Baptist University studying a Fine Arts degree with a Music minor. During that time he also started and led the Chapel Worship Team and the Thursday Night Live Bible Study. He had only started playing guitar as a senior in Highschool. After graduating from college, he also began working with Youth for Christ as the Riverside area Campus Life director.

So many things wowed me that night, I can't post them all! Towards the end of American Dream, before the last two lines of the final bridge (But that ain't my America, that ain't my American Dream), the band suddenly stopped and stoned there. Oh my Word, the bassist Tim was leaning back at quite an uncomfortable angle. Once again the crowd went wild and started chanting "Switchfoot, Switchfoot". I'm not sure just exactly how long they stoned there, but it must have been a minute at least. When The four of us were rather amazed by that idea. Jony proposed we do that during worship leading next time!

Yesterday was a dream come true, but it was also an awakening. When I heard twenty-four, one of my favorite live from the writer's own mouth, there were so many things I realized. All this while I have been more or less idolizing Switchfoot, and it was then that I knew what folly it was. The glory goes to God. They appeal to a wide audience when they play, but the lyrics, the soul of their music is dedicated to the Father. They cry out to God for forgiveness and grace, not to the audience for fame and glory. When Jon reached the first line of the bridge (I'm not copping out), he choked and delayed that part, and sang the second line (not copping out) with added determination.

The band and I, we are worlds apart, yet I feel we are so near. The way they profess their faith and reach out to souls is one that God will not ignore. Their songs sing of the things we face in our walk with God; not just the joys of salvation. Even Billy Graham once went up the mountains alone to think through whether or not his faith is real. The song 4:12 sings about how he doubted and thought the world was merely material, and how he realized that "souls aren't built of stones, sticks and bones". Dirty Second Hands talks about how we create our own enemy, how envy and lust causes us to fail, but the next song on the album, Awakening is on how grace abounds to cover our sin, and that we're awakening to fulfill what God wants us sinners to do. I think Yuan likes Stars because he also cogitates on the same theme as Jonathan Foreman when he wrote that song. He told me that if the stars had a choice, it would never shine its' light on this fallen world.

It's as though through faith, Jon is speaking to Yuan and saying, "Yuan, this one is for you."

Stars looking at a planet, watching entropy and pain
And maybe start to wonder
How the chaos in our lives could pass as sane
I've been thinking about the meaning of resistance
Of a hope beyond my own
And suddenly the infinite and penitent begin to look like home
I've been thinking about everyone, everyone you look so empty

But what is classic is how Jonathan leaves a hint at the end, "When I look at the stars I see someone" Where this "grace or love or anti-entropy" does not hide His face from this fallen world, and continues to shine for humanity.

Behind the Song:
"Here's another song that we've been playing live for a while. Maybe it's the Led Zeppelin side of me but I love a good rock riff and this one is really fun to play. It's a good builder that I'm anxious to play this summer. Speaking of summer, I have a theory about social entropy; if you and I ever end up talking about existence drinking caffeinated beverages in the wee hours remind me to tell you all about it. For now let's just say that in a world of pain and war and divorce and greed and genocide, how does anything good ever happen? I understand the second law of thermodynamics in the physical world to be something like this: "Any system which is free of external influences becomes more and more disordered with time. This disorder can be expressed in terms of the quantity called entropy." So without some sort of external influence on the social plane, I find no logical reason why humankind didn't see her last day a long time ago. Call it grace or love or anti-entropy- there must be something keeping things together. The question becomes, why do good things happen to bad people? In the song, the first verse looks at things from Descartes perspective, pinning the center of the universe on the individual. "Maybe I've been the problem," maybe I'm overcast, falling apart, etc... The second verse talks about our world from the perspective of the stars looking down on earth from the eternal dance of gravity and motion. I love the night sky. It reminds me of how small and insignificant me and my problems are in light of the infinite. When I look at the stars i feel like myself.” – Jon Foreman (Switchfoot)

God Bless Switchfoot, God Bless this world, God Bless YOU!

30th January 2008

And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him.
And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?"
And he looked up and said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking."
Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
Mark 8:22-25


Everything clearly - Could see their form and features. His sight was completely restored. Though our Lord did not by this, probably, “intend” to teach any lesson in regard to the way in which the mind of a sinner is enlightened, yet it affords a striking illustration of it. Sinners are by nature blind. The effect of religion, or of the influence of the Holy Spirit, is to open the eyes, to show the sinner his condition and his danger, and to lead him to “look” on him as a Saviour. Yet at first he sees indistinctly. He does not soon learn to distinguish objects. When converted he is in a new world. Light is shed on every object, and he sees the Scriptures, the Saviour, and the works of creation, the sun, the stars, the hills, the vales, in a new light. He sees the beauty of the plan of salvation, and wonders that he has not seen it before. Yet he sees at first indistinctly. It is only by repeated applications to the Source of light that he sees all things clearly. At first religion appears full of mysteries. Doctrines and facts are brought before his mind that he cannot fully comprehend. He is still perplexed, and he may doubt whether he has ever seen anything aright, or has been ever renewed. Yet let him not despair. Light, in due time, will be shed on these obscure and mysterious truths. Faithful and repeated application to the Father of lights in prayer, and in searching the Scriptures, and in the ordinances of religion, will dissipate these doubts, and he will see all things clearly, and the universe will appear to be filled with one broad flood of light.

29th January 2008

Wow. Heard Cloverfield was bad, but watched The Mist. Awesome. Many lessons to learn. See it to find out yourself; sorry, no spoilers. ^^

Sorry

I'm sorry for the sleepless nights. I feel them myself.