my first pilates crash course

so, i went to this community library in north sydney yesterday and borrowed myself a video of pilates for the beginners. the dvd ones were mostly checked out. and this morning, i got some time to try things out. i like the simplicity involved in the exercises, meaning, the slower phase yet they 'ouch'. i think pilates is my thing.

the video is really only 35 mins, the joy of not having to overkill yourself with what you're trying to do. however, i suppose the crash course is probably more like a DIY one this time, despite the simple instructions. i found it difficult to control my breathing and kept remembering how to breathe properly while moving a pile of dead-wood (read: my body). and so, a couple of aches were expected. and how do i fix them? there's a 5 minutes free massage at shopping world in north sydney today. again, they 'ouch'.

ps. 'ouch' for banging my left elbow at the toilet this afternoon.

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note to self #311016

there is an offer of a mobile phone, plus other deals, from a company. and because i'm a customer of the company's subsidiaries, they make it sounds like i got a first-class treatment. it really isn't like that, since later on as i checked, this is how they can afford to give you $100 supermarket voucher. upon checking, you actually need only paying $15 * 24. however, the one that comes with $100 voucher, you've got to pay $20 * 24. so there you go, you actually pay $5 * 24 = $120. and they still win your $20 after giving you a voucher of $100. street smart but my math is not that rotten either. i'm losing the appetite to change my mobile phone for the moment. i'm using one of those really old nokia model, and it hasn't let me down so far. so, i won't worry if one day, it get thrown at a croc!

on a side note, generally, i think i have the tendency to take on risks. maybe this is a sign that i'm getting old now.

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rant #231006

it rather touched me to attend the sunday service yesterday. i think om joni spoke powerfully (sternly) from the Bible passage in 1 Kings 22:1-28. i can't help but thinking that the message was meant to hit hard at our slowness as a church to regard God's word as having an authority over the church (people). i'm talking about the application of God's word rather than the inability to claim that the Bible is the word of God. it's appaling what some are capable of thinking of themselves so highly that what's acted out is no more than denying what's believed at the first place. it sounds rather harsh to put it this way, however, having been a member of the church for the past seven years, somehow you can't afford to be so ignorant toward things that happen in surrounding.

at some point throughout the service, i can't seem to contain myself, and the whole service just made me all weepy once a song was sung after the talk. i have to admit that i am on my soft side lately. i felt overwhelmed at times, and wonder if this has become more of a weakness of my emotional side than meekness. i know that i am never a tough person nor overly unreasonable, but i hardly feel to be able to overcome it lately.

'People Needs the Lord' - jenny and andrew ho sang it beautifully, but what sadness it is that many times the much needed efforts to reach out was much diverted into mending the un-ending internal issues among the members. people just can't help to express their old sinful behaviours despite the warnings in the Bible that Jesus died for the church and it matters how we are supposed to treat the church with care and dignity as a result. can only throw this at the mercy of God's hand.

what do you usually do when you're feeling overwhelmed?

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catching up by a bookshop

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hot saturday literally *

spent a couple of hours last sat at the berkelouw bookshop in paddington. i think so far i've been able to compile places that i love visiting if any time to spare. i love visiting an art gallery, a library, a museum, a park, a bookshop..

guess who are in the pic above?

* 37 degrees in sydney

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the girls meet on saturdays to study the Bible together (jesslyn's missing in action :)

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their says

love thy neighbours

reading through a quarter of all, to me, some negative comments did appear to be insipid and closed-minded. glad that the majority spelt out the same tone that dictates facts closer to reality than those influenced by the media derogatory.

love or hate the media, possibly this could be the next interesting topic for discussions of this kind..

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slow down, listen, revive..

azar sent me this link kidung. every now and then i can listen to some indo songs by clicking on a song title (under 'Daftar lagu yang dapat anda dengarkan').

having listened to the samples, i'm thinking of getting this cd Songs for the Cross Centred Life. i think all the songs are great ones.

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"pilates is really good for you.."

i've been paying a couple of visits to the student to-be-chiropractors at mq uni. and having your body cracked and stretched exceeding their normal behaviour sounds a bit revolting at the first place. nevertheless, it makes my body feel really light and loose for a time. what's left is up to me taking it from now on, correcting those bad positions while sitting and standing, having more awareness of how the movement will in turn affect my posture, and the like, and ta-dar, i was told to exercise! of course.. (head: big deal! i've got to sort out my schedule, how often have i thought so, but the thought of it only is simply not enough, something needs doing practically..)

overall, i thought this is a bit like small things that lead to a bigger problem. and correcting the bigger problem will require small steps to be realistic. so, small is big, i had better be careful next time. it does imply that having consistency in small things is what counts after all, as simple as that, but as complex as finding it to be true after all the pains are giving me a shout!

a bit like our walk with the Lord, i digress..
the small decisions made, the consistently putting an effort to be godly, hopefully we're on the same page..

pilates, anyone?

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the Gospel bites

found myself reading the gospel of mark again for some reasons, although more toward just any of the four gospels than a particular one, needing the encouragement and re-assurance from God's word at times. just how powerful the gospel is, that the good news continues to turn people to the one and only living God.

thank God that over the past few months, the gospel theme keeps recurring through talks at different cn gatherings. never for once that i found the story of Jesus really is that interesting. moreover, it's marvellous to ponder on just how much authority Jesus has over all things because He truly is the Son of God.

just a snippet, it's for this reason, the powerful words of the gospel, that i found the talks of jenny salt (wkc 2006 - Jesus Uncut) particularly challenging. i hope to be able to find some times summarising on the talks and other things learnt.

also looking forward to the next subject offered at the pennant hills' centre, Jesus and the synoptic Gospels.

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