A New Year

The start of a new year (although I am like 1 month late here) always bring with it a fresh sense of renewal. I've been blessed by a lovely holiday to end off a wonderful 2006 for me, and the new year promises not to be any less exciting. The school term starts off on a roll for me, and most of the courses that I am taking this term are really interesting - Supply Chain Management, Wireless Sensor Networking, Systems Engineering, Packet-Switched Networks. I find myself much more motivated in attending classes, and in doing the homework. Not that I did not enjoy last semester's classes, but this term's offer alot more depth and challenges.

I've gotten myself into a routine of pilates and yoga. By the way, for anyone out there who's interested at all, I would say I am enjoying pilates a little bit more than yoga, because of the strength building effect. Nonetheless, I am enjoying both sets of classes (I attended 2 pilates sessions and 1 yoga session last week, and my body was really aching from all that workout!) and hoping to keep up my discipline to do so. A short one-hour workout each time really rejuvenates my entire mind and body!

Ithaca is now covered with lots of snow, and I've watched my first Cornell ice-hockey game in 2007, which Cornell won by 5-1! I'm enjoying my spiritual time reading, which I've finished Nouwen's "Prodigal Son" and am now working on "The Way of St Francis". Both are excellent books, that have sparked off many reflections of my life, and the life of Christ. Too many to be captured on this blog - some I received in the silence of my room, some while I am out in the open, and some when I am in the midst of busy-ness. Nonetheless, I've realized that when one allows oneself to be sensitized to the "possibilities" of God, one can receive deep insights into one's life, or into God, almost anywhere.

But it is absolutely important to dedicate time each day to be silent, with God, be it reading, reflecting or praying. I've personally experienced that when I am disciplined in my pursuit of God's presence in my life in whatever form, throughout the day, I am very much at peace with all things in my life. It's not just a temporal experience of calmness, but a peace that builds on itself everytime it is experienced again, and that peace just keeps getting stronger and deeper each time. When I've allowed situations and thoughts to crowd out God in my heart, I feel unsettled and despair. And the more I try to "fix it", the worse it gets. Until I am once again called to be silent before God that I'd realize how futile my efforts had been, and how simple it could have been...

With Lent coming round the corner again, I guess it's timely for me to recollect some of the episodes that I've encountered since I came here to Cornell. I still believe this was the place that God has called me away to be alone, to be sensitized to Him, so here goes:

Lesson 1
Lesson 2 - I Will Walk With God
Lesson 3 - Discipline
Lesson 4 - Sin
Lesson 5 - Confession
Lesson 6 - He Is Amazing

And really, I am so looking forward to Lent & Easter...