My Roots Are Here
I was only able to attend part of the sy rogers's seminar. he's really a good speaker and pastor and definitely a great living testimony of the power and the love of God. although I was unable to attend the rest, there's audio sermons as well. haa. that's the advantage of the advancement of technology. anyway, went out for dinner with my family and my father talked about my future. he wants me
to take my basic highway theory test next year, which he claimed that I'm able to sit for it when I'm 16, but my mum said 18. and then during poly I'm to get my driving license before entering the army.
if you don't know, my father has already planned my life on how it should be. I'll just illustrate a picture in your mind on how it's like.
1. I'll most likely be going to a polytechnic after my O's, and i'll be doing Electrical and Electronics Engineering a.k.a EEE.
2. After that, I'll be sent overseas like Australia ( he only mentioned this ) to get an engineering degree.
the moment he stated pt no. 2, my heart just sank. and i told myself this " that's nvr gonna happen " It's not that I don't believe in myself that I'm able to succeed in life till that stage of going overseas to study, it's the personal matters that I'm refering to.
my relatives, specifically my uncle, has asked me the same question before. " Are you considering to go overseas to study? " my firm answer was and will forever be a " NO ".
some people will think that, " ahh! you must be crazy! your parents offer you the opportunity to study overseas and yet you are thinking negatively about it?! there's smth wrong with you! "
well, sad to disappoint people who think that way but I'm firm with myself that I won't be going. here's why:
1. Emotional Aspect : Living on this island which is a dot on the world map, I've grown to have feelings for it. it's not that I'm so patriotic, cause seriously at the age of 15 I don't really care about the General Election. but what I'm refering to is the education process. I made friends throughout my whole education process. well, of course it has not ended yet.
but of course, I will miss them if I go. take this for an example : I was suppose to go on a so-called holiday with my parents, to Malaysia, about a week or so. but I stood my stand clearly that I will not be going. clear-cut enough, I didn't go. one reason was because of church.
2. Church Aspect : If I ever leave this country, I've actually uprooted myself from church. my roots have just started growing, like 5 months plus. leaving s'pore for education will be like more than 4 years later. what will happen during that 4 and more years? my roots will grow longer and firmer, holding onto the ground so tight that my Hurrican Katrina hit my spot, man, my tree will still be standing tall.
if that's the case, which will be, I won't bear to leave. so what's there's another church in Australia? my roots started growing in Heart of God Church, it will forever be growing there. I would be active in ministry then. how am I able to leave just like that?
3. Friendship Aspect : Like what I said earlier, I've made friends throughout my whole life. so how am I able to leave them? Esp. secondart school friends and church friends. almost everyone of them made a difference in my life, may it be big or small, they've made a difference. memories are stored in my mind and carved on my heart. I'm a man who doesn't forget my roots.
have you ever wondered, when we write autograph books in primary school, at the end of what we had written, almost everyone will write the same thing, " Friends Forever " ? and look what happens when everyone goes to sec sch. we lose contact with most of them, not all but still in contact with some. that's gonna apply to sec sch as well. after that everyone will be either going poly or jc, and then each of them will have their own life. that's why I've been trying my best to build friendship steady and strong. inviting friends to church because no matter what happens, I'll see them every sunday. I go to church not entirely because of friends, it's mainly because of God. I love and want Him more than anything else and He's my Creater and Savior. and everyone should have give themselves a chance for a reconcilation with their Father in Heaven.
but above all these, if God wants me to go, I'll obey and follow his instructions He has for me. if that's my intended destiny, I'll go. people will say " come on, think positively! you won't know until you've tried! " this is what i will tell you. The grass may not always be greener on the other side.
look at the US. every family has their own gun. the purpose of protecting themselves. I mean, yeah, it's kinda of cool if you have a gun with you in s'pore, esp to that point where everyone has one. but of course it won't be safe then. haa. everyone will be playing with their guns instead of the computers at the starting. haa. meddling with bullets.
some of you may be able to give me advantages of going overseas to study. but the key answer to it will be from God.
okay, enough of serious stuff, let's switch to smth funny about this topic.
Food Aspect : As yoou know, Australia is an angmoh country. so when you walk around, don't you ever expect to find food like wanton mee or cai tou kueh on the streets or in food courts, except in China Town. the funny part is that almost in all angmoh countries, there will always be a China Town. you won't find things like ice kacang, nasi lemakand laksa. it's a trend you see among the connection with food in s'pore and food in angmoh countries.
tourists come to singapore partly because of the food, cause it's a multi-racial country, you have a large variety of food to choose from. angmoh comes here, taste the balachan, first time " taboleh tahan " then the next day and the following days he comes back for more. there's so much variety of food that some angmohs stay here because of it.
on the other hand, s'poreans go there and find themselves needing to head down to the China Town there or else they will die. if not you will be like eating hamburgers for 3 meals day. could you imagine if I were to study there and my breakfast is an egg with 2 sausages, my lunch is Mac's Big Mac and my dinner is Burger King's BK Chicken Sandwhich? man, I also taboleh tahan arh! that shows how boring angmoh countries can be.
posted by Rod @ 11:50 PM,
