I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day.

I’m thankful for being given the opportunity to serve as the chaplain for the Lutheran in Malaysia & Singapore (LCMS) Special General Meeting (SGM) today. It was an important meeting and I was in charge of the opening holy communion worship service and the closing service.

The day required much focus and “centering”. There were always little bumps and distractions a long the way. But, it was important especially during the times when I’m preaching, sharing or leading in worship that I not get pre-occupied with myself and what’s bothering me. God has been gracious to me and I think I more than survived.

I spoke from Nehemiah 8:1-10 in the morning. And then shared from 1 Corinthians 12:21-31 during the closing session. I felt it was important at the end to include our Orang Asli pastor reading from the Bahasa Malaysia Bible. So after he read, we listened to the reading in Mandarin and also English. All in all including the morning we heard 1 Corinthians 12:21-31 read 4 times today. Somehow I felt it was very important to hear that.

right now, I just need some space …. to park some of my more detailed pondering of todays proceedings, lessons, behaviours, “surprises”, .. all aside.

It’s over for now, but it’s not finished yet.

I do feel a burden lifted right now …. I’m not too sure whether others can fully understand what was running through my head especially before today and even now.

All human systems are imperfect and we are flawed no matter what we say or do. And yet, this is the context we must operate in. So, while we may try our best to be fair, to listen, to deliberate even to debate … and later still needing to decide and bear responsibility to those decisions, we might still bump into a wall here and there. But there’s no other way … how we need grace! how we need to willingness to acquire wisdom as time goes by … how we need space to process things through … how we need to “center” on what’s more necessary than get distracted…

winner or losers. Is that the only way to view the realities before us? I hope not … I think not …

running away and hide in a small cave on my own … (unless there’s wireless?!)

just sticking around people who are just like me … and avoiding those who might be strange … or even dangerous … (reminds me of a movie .. “the Village”) … Not too sure that will work.

Sitting here to complain and look down on those whom remind me of my past … nope doesn’t sound right.

Using God’s name lightly … hmmm … I think it takes more courage to tell someone they are misusing God’s name .. and yet, like it or not it’s open for debate. But generally, fear might cloud our discernment.

Hard decisions must be made. Toughness is needed for implementation.

it’s 11PM … hope to resume some normal blogging soon.

and also get on with the preparations for Friends in Conversation 2007.