Snapshots from El, Inc.

More updates..

Wow. Another week flies by. I'm convinced that rate of time passing is directly correlated with age of observer. Or maybe times just flies faster when you're caught in a whirlwind of activity.

To take stock of this week, I have to give glory to God for being faithful to answer my request to soften my heart and open my eyes to see things in his word. Have been reading Bob Sorge's "In His Face", a great worship-inspiring book. Read a chapter about hardened hearts (based on Jesus' parable of the sower) last Friday, and have been really convicted that my the soil of my heart is really very much like the stony ground. Passionate and quick to respond to the word, but lacking depth and roots, and ultimately doomed to fall. Am earnestly seeking God to break up the fallow ground of my heart.

With reference to the statement "whirlwind of activity".. It's strange. I'm having such a light semester that I'm having trouble adjusting to it. I used to not be able sleep hardly at all on Thursday nights, because I would be working on my weekly tome: the dreaded Clinical Experience Report. Last semester I had readings and homework due every single day..
This semester I actually have enough breathing space ot engage in and enjoy the learning process. I'm developing interest in the field of social psychology, and am relishing the new skills I'm building in New Testament Greek - reading the Bible in its original text opens up new breathtaking vistas of meaning and insight. It's so exciting!
Sometimes I feel guilty for having so much time.. But today I realized that God may be giving me all this free time to allow for me to seek Him. I really need to. My graduation looms closer and closer, while the time frame for initiating and completing the application process for grad school grows narrower and narrower with each day that passes. God knows I need His direction, and strength and grace to follow it.

Beside that, there's also a lot of growth going on in me. One of the fresh insights I've gained this week has been in the practical area of practice. I realized on Saturday that my attitude and skills in the area of practice (especially for music) are dismal. I'm so used to learning and catching and mastering things quickly, and thus get inpatient very easily when I practice. As a result, I lose the tremendous benefits of patient and consistent practice. For example, I'm trying to learn Claude Debussy's "Claire De Lune" (for piano) and John Mayer's "Neon" (for guitar). Both pieces have proven to be stubbornly unresponsive to my "quick wit." I am frustrated time and again at my failure to quicly learn and master those two songs. But I'm learning. Anna's patiently teaching me to be patient. Start slow. Focus on parts. Practice those parts. Pick up speed by increments. Start by getting all the notes, then throw in dynamics, and then feeling.
All commonsensical pointers that I regularly disregard in my "practice sessions" (which usually degenerate into impromptu jam sessions).
In any case, I'm learning. And I'm excited about it. :)

For Voice Class on Wednesday, I have to learn an Italian song called "Tu Lo Sai". It's an interesting little song sung by a very self-confident ladies' man who says to a lady: "Ask thy heart." In essence, he says, "You know you want me." =p

And on that note, I adjourn this blog until my next weekly update. =p Ciao!

Labels: News, Snapshots

posted by Joel Chan @ 8:12 AM