Small things can make a big difference in life

Living through the eyes of faith

2008-10-10T01:05:00.002-04:00

1990's was Indonesian's badminton golden era. They played almost all of the match that involved Indonesian player on TV. When it comes to Thomas/Uber Cup (kinda like superbowl here in US or UEFA champions league in Europe) which Indonesian play as a team, the government forced all of TV station to air it live. That's how patriotic we are as a country and how proud we are of our badminton team. Among all player during one time, there's one Men Double's pair that almost every Indonesian knew their name attract me. Their name is Ricky/Rexy, the way the played is out of this world. They create a winning streak for 2 years, unbeatable. The best one is that the way the play really please the crowd, make us try to guessing (especially rexy) what kind of shot he'll pulled in the next rally. I admire Rexy the most since he's like the playmaker or the brain behind it. It's still fresh in my mind watching thomas cup 1996 with my families and how we shout In-Do-Ne-Sia, go down China or Malaysia (China and Malaysia both are big enemies of Indonesia in badminton).

8 years later, I find out that my favorite player was coaching Malaysian team and he's actually a Christian. I watched the match of final Asian Games 2006 where Indonesia playing against malaysian pair in men doubles. He's been disappointed many times by his students before, (he said they're lack of champion mentality). Plus the fact that the pair he guide is new pairing, a decision he make right before Asian games. Of course I'm rooting for my country but in the end Malaysia is the one winning the match. I'm super angry of course, it's never happen that Malaysian men doubles beat Indonesian in any final before (well sometimes it happen, I'm just exaggerating). But one thing I notice is that rexy keep praying through out the match and when his students win the asian games gold medal. He say prayer before celebrate the winning =). Well it touches me because of his faith. Later, on the press conference he share his secret: "When nothings works, faith is the final solution." I can only said Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight"

lifes

2008-10-09T08:09:00.002-04:00

The first time I learned to play badminton, what fascinated me the most is when people hit smash really hard and ends the rally. From there I build a mindset to learn how to hit as hard as I can to end the rally. If possible, one hit and it all ends. I realize that's where my problem relies on, to think that there's one quick solution for every problem. Just one hit and all done, but after I explore more into the game, I realize that it won't work all the time. I also won't grow and learn other aspect of the game.

That's the same thing with my life, I used to think that for every problem I just cried out to God and everything will be done in instant. But apparently I'm wrong, after learning from Him many times. I learned that whenever one problem solved in instant, I didn't gained anything from it. I didn't learn something new. Lately, all of the storm coming in my life, heavier storm, tougher task and almost impossible object. There isn't anymore one hit and all problem finish. All that exist now is that problems keep occurring in life, some stayed for quite some time and throughout this time God teach me to keep strong. When problems solved in instant, I developed a security feeling for myself, it's no longer faith. But when I feel insecure for long time like right now (because of problems), I don't know where else I can stand other than God's promise. It's very tough to see through the eyes of faith since we can't see anything physically but one thing I learned is only believe in Him and sing praise. just like the song:

Praise you in the storms

By casting crowns

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down

and wiped our tears away,

stepped in and saved the day.

But once again, I say amen

and it's still raining

as the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain,

"I'm with you"

and as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise

the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:

And I'll praise you in this storm

and I will lift my hands

for You are who You are

no matter where I am

and every tear I've cried

You hold in your hand

You never left my side

and though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry to You

and raised me up again

my strength is almost gone how can I carry on

if I can't find You

and as the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

and as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise

the God who gives and takes away

I lift my eyes onto the hills

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

I lift my eyes onto the hills

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

stopped playing tournaments

2008-10-08T22:45:00.003-04:00

Finally I've decided after quite some times. The badminton tournament I attend and the amount of training I've put is too much for me to handle. I said in the previous post that it's hard to balance my life and I've decided to just play badminton for fun. No Longer tournaments until I graduate and get my bachelors degree next may. It's quite though to make this decision especially since I just got a good MD partner (Merell). I know this news will make him disappointed but my decision is firm unless God said different things. I just want to concentrate doing school work and searching work, I don't want to waste time and money going to badminton tournament only for fun and no preparation, I like the challenge but some other priority comes up.

I won't say I don't have good time going to tournament, it has been fun to meet new people and hanging out with friends on the tournament. Cheering for them and sometimes giving them little tips during interval break. But this is life, all about choosing our own path and no regret =).

turning 21

2008-10-08T00:58:00.003-04:00

There's some fact where we can't run from. Few days ago I attended one of my friend in west Lafayette 21st b'day. Few more days it'll be my other friends 21st bday, why suddenly I write post about this even though I attend a lot of 21st b'day ? Because all of them are in the same batch with me. Soon it'll be my turn, I always try to escape many times before by changing my birthday in Friendster or facebook so no one will realize it. The truth is I'm afraid to go forward, I'm afraid when my age is getting older, people expect me to be more mature. I still want to be kid inside of my heart, the year I like in college is my sophomore year. it's a perfect year for me, I have somebody who is one batch bellow me to bully (JK) but I also have senior who I can look into when I look for advice. But this year everything is changing, people start leaving and leave me behind in this place, I'm become one of the senior and I get irritated when people called me koko or koh or ko (older brother) .

God reminds me that I must go forward to enjoy more of his blessings, if I don't start taking responsibility and be more mature then I'll regret it later.People said that getting old is a must but getting mature is a choice, it's no longer time for me to hide and admit I'm old now (soon 21) . Still trying to understand a lot of things and definitely far from perfect. But I'll give my best in everything to reach His dreams inside me.

Picture from Indiana states games

2008-10-08T00:46:00.004-04:00

Symbol of fair play

even when we lose we still congratulate our opponent and admit they're better than us for this time

Picture from Indiana states games

2008-10-08T00:42:00.002-04:00

picture from indiana states games

2008-10-08T00:38:00.004-04:00

Me in action

Picture from Indiana states games

2008-10-08T00:32:00.003-04:00

My partner merell in actions

Mental Power

2008-10-08T00:13:00.002-04:00

What a tournament last Indiana States games. Me and Merell was playing in Men double's event because among all badminton disciplines that's the only one I can play. I still can remember very clear when the first time I trained badminton my coach tell me: "you're tall so you can become a good single player." After some session then suddenly he said: "U're more appropriate to become doubles player than singles player." The second one is actually not a very good word of encouragement since singles is what ppl considered as the most prestigious event in badminton. Well life goes one and I obeyed his advice, turns out it's mostly true and I can enjoy playing doubles more. We (me and merell) have target to become champions in this tournament or in our mother tongue known as "jaguh kampung" (local champions) but what to say we lost in the semifinal against our own friends golden and thanut. Kudos to their performance that is very stabile from the beginning to the end.

The most exciting moment is of course when we're losing the first set like 16-21 then on the second set we're behind like 4-11. That time I can only said to myself and merell, let's take every point one by one and don't think too much about winning or losing at this point. The result we chase them all the way from 7-15 to 13-18 to 17-20. Then finally we can equalize the point 20-20 and finally win the second set 28-26. What a comeback, you should see our face expression by that time, we do something that's almost impossible. Then on the 3rd set we have to be left behind 0-9 again and we try to do the same thing again, we chase all the way to 13-20 then 16-20 until I missed one simple net kill to give them victory. Well losing isn't my favorite's part but it's part of our life, they play much better than us and we have to admit it. I learned throughout the game that mental power is very important. To keep our mind steady and focus to our goal.

This semester has been very hard for me to balance my life. I left behind in a lot of things. One this I want to do is to keep focus on God and not on His gift or accessories. It's hard thing to keep praying every morning but I learned from last event that everything is possible with God as long as we keep His dreams in our vision =).

confused

2007-10-30T00:30:00.000-04:00

bingung bgt, kadang2 tuh gw belakangan ini mikir. Koq kayanya tiap semester tuh kena pressure abies2an ya. Last time I said that I don't care about points anymore tapi sekarang tuh perasaan gimana yah. Gw tuh mikir ga mao jadi org pinter2 bgt, GPA juga cukup seadanya ga harus ampe jadi dean's list ato something like honor society. Well itu sieh yang gw kepikir belakangan ini. Rasanya tuh kalo udah sukses satu kali aja, orang2 dan especially my parents tuh bakal berharap banyak bgt dari gw untuk nerusin next semester. Well, terus terang gw ga suka banget ama yang beginian. Diomongin terus, koq nilai lu jadi jelek sieh bla,bla,bla. Halow, gw disini manusia. tak ada gading yang tak retak, gw juga berhak untuk gagal. Sudah 4 taon ini hak gw untuk gagal ini rasanya direnggut ama orang2 disekitar gw dan diri gw sendiri. Meskipun doesn't care about points tetep aja tuh kayanya gw mesti perfect in everything. Yah terus terang udah bosen aja ama hal2 kaya ginian. Pengen rasanya tuh gw pake mesin waktu terus ulang masa lalu gw dan bikin nilai gw jelek semua dari SD jadinya orang2 ga berharap banyak dari gw. Mulai dari ministry juga, lama2 koq kena dampaknya ya. Udah doa sejak lama tapi tetep aja live by faith itu enga gampang especially when you have to do everything by yourself every friday preparing caregroup and make sure everything will go allright. Then kalo udah nyiapin capek2 orang2 bisa dengan santai ngomong, gw banyak exam, HW bla bla, gw ada acara inilah. Duh, bener2 deh itu ujian, kalo gw mao bales lu pikir gw enga sama kaya lu !!!! Spend 2 hours aja buat kumpul sama2 cari Tuhan aja apa susahnya sieh. Lagian kita mana bisa sukses kalo inti hidup kita tuh cuma belajar tiap hari dan spend God's word only for yourself. Udah mao marah rasanya berkali kali deh. Tapi untungnya Tuhan itu baek, gw enga sampe semprot siapapun selama ini. Lama2 gw tuh kena dampaknya dan kerasa banget waktu saat teduh. Emank bener kalo Tuhan ngomong enga gampang ngikutin dia. Tapi tuh kadang2 gw ngerasa itu salah gw karena gw kurang communication ama orang laen. Kurang minta tolong, tapi kalo elu ditolakin org terus menerus sampe kapan lu mao minta tolong ? Gw mikir kaya gt, belom lagi masalah ada org acting like a child, ga mao ini kalo ada itu. Capek lah gw, udah bohwat kalo ngerasa jadi diri gw sendiri. Lom pressure yg dirasa dari org2, masa preparing sharing enga capek ? Jelas itu capek bgt dan lama2 tuh gw jadi enga kerasa enjoy. Mao rasanya tuh gw ada waktu lamaan buat doa dulu sebelom share firman Tuhan tapi koq ada2 aja gt, masalah orang minta dijemput, etc2. Duh kalo inget ini pengen balik ke jamannya Debora dimana banyak orang yg bs sharing dan banyak yg punya mobil. Pengen bgt komplaint ini itu banyak bgt. Rasanya gimana yah, capek lah. Seperti gw bilang live by Faith paling susah adalah kalo lu enga ngeliat ada yg berubah ama sekali selama 1 taon. Terus terang aja ada banyak alasan buat gw to quit in everything, ga mao lagi kuliah ME yg susah, belajar apa enga jelas soal fluid dynamics, system dynamics, design, etc2 dan juga ministry dimanapun kalo intinya semua gw yg kerjain sendiri.

Itu unek2 gw selama ini yang enga pernah gw sampein selama ini. Tapi tuh emank Tuhan baek, dia ingetin gw sekali lagi kalo berlian tuh, dimanapun dia berada, even disekitar lumpur sekalipun tetep akan bersinar. Buat apa kita jadi terang dunia kalo sekitar kita udah terang ?, kalo sekitar kita semua udah jadi terang jadinya tuh kita enga akan bisa memaksimalkan potensi kita. Diingetin banget soal ini, kalo selama ini kondisi gw tuh rasanya udah capek, kerasa enga bisa ngapa2in lagi, boro2 mikir advanced in ministry, tapi defending program aja udah susah banget. Lom lagi sekolah yang makin menjadi-jadi. Kalo gw pikir yah ngomong jujur aja. Satu2nya waktu yg gw bisa enjoy in this life is no more in care group or in church, cuma di lapangan badminton aje gw bisa enjoy waktu gw. Yah pokoknya in the whole next week I'll try to enjoy my life more aja. Meskipun susah tapi gw cuma percaya satu hal kalo setiap kita melalui ujian kita akan berkembang, apalagi kalo ujiannya susah pasti akan berkembang lagi. yah untuk saat ini percaya aja lah meskipun susah, terinspirasi tadi pas nonton film "second chance".

kesaksian

2007-10-28T13:33:00.001-04:00

Halo, nama saya Athet Pyan Shinthaw Paulu. Saya dari negara Myanmar. Saya ingin berbagi dengan anda kesaksian saya ini tentang apa yang terjadi pada saya, tetapi sebelumnya saya ingin menceritakan sedikit latar belakang saya sejak saya kecil. Saya dilahirkan tahun 1958 di kota Bogale, di daerah delta Irrawaddy Myanmar selatan (dahulu Burma). Orang tua saya penganut agama Budha yang beriman (taat) seperti kebanyakan orang di Myanmar, memanggil saya si Thitphin (yg artinya pohon).

Kehidupan di mana saya bertumbuh sangat sederhana. Pada umur 13 tahun saya keluar sekolah dan mulai bekerja di perahu nelayan. Kami menangkap ikan juga udang di beberapa sungai besar dan kecil di daerah Irrawaddy. Pada umur 16 saya jadi pemimpin perahu. Saat itu saya tinggal di utara pulau Mainmahlagyon (Mainmahlagyon artinya pulau wanita cantik), di bagian utara Bogale dimana saya dilahirkan. Tempat ini kira kira 100 mil barat daya Yangoon (Rangoon) ibu kota negara kami.

Suatu hari waktu saya berumur 17 tahun, kami menangkap banyak sekali ikan dalam jala kami. Saking banyaknya ikan yang kami tangkap, seekor buaya besar tertarik perhatiannya. Buaya itu mengikuti perahu kami dan mencoba menyerang kami. Kami jadi ketakutan sehingga dengan panik kami mendayung perahu kami menuju tepian sungai secepatnya. Buaya itu mengikuti kami dan menyerang perahu kami dengan ekornya.Walaupun tidak ada yang mati dalam kejadian ini, serangan itu mempengaruhi kehidupan saya. Saya tidak mau lagi menangkap ikan. Perahu kecil kami tenggelam kena serangan buaya itu. Malam itu kami pulang ke kampung naik perahu tumpangan. Tak lama sesudah itu, bos ayah saya memindahkan ayah saya ke kota Yangoon (sebelum disebut Rangoon).

Pada umur 18 saya dikirim kesebuah biara menjadi Rahib muda. Kebanyakan orang tua di Myanmar berusaha mengirimkan anak laki-laki mereka ke biara Budha, setidaknya satu kali, karena merupakan suatu kehormatan mempunyai anak laki-laki melayani dengan cara ini. Kami telah mengikuti adat ini ratusan tahun.

Seorang murid yang bersemangat

Pada saat saya mencapai umur 19 tahun 3 bulan (thn 1977) saya jadi Rahib. Rahib atasan saya di biara itu memberi saya sebuah nama Budha baru yang sudah menjadi adat/kebiasaan di negara saya. Saya dipanggil U Nata Pannita Ashinthuriya. Pada waktu kami menjadi Rahib kami tidak lagi menggunakan nama yang diberikan orang tua pada waktu lahir. Biara tempat saya tinggal disebut Mandlay Kyaikasan Kyaing. Nama Rahib kepala ialah U Zadila Kyar Ni Kan Sayadaw (U Zadila adalah gelar). Dia Rahib yang sangat terkenal di seluruh Myanmar pada waktu itu. Setiap orang tahu siapa dia. Dia sangat dihargai oleh orang-orang dan disegani sebagai guru besar. Saya katakan dulu karena pada tahun 1983 dia tiba-tiba mati dalam kecelakaan mobil yang fatal. Kematiannya mengejutkan semua orang. Saat itu saya sudah 6 tahun jadi Rahib. Saya berusaha jadi Rahib terbaik dan mengikuti semua ajaran Budha. Pada suatu tingkat tertentu saya pindah ke sebuah kuburan yang kemudian saya tinggali dan bermeditasi secara kontinyu. Beberapa Rahib yang sungguh-sungguh mengikuti kebenaran Budha melakukan hal yang saya lakukan ini. Beberapa bahkan pindah ke hutan dimana mereka hidup menyangkal diri dan miskin. Saya cari penyangkalan diri, fikiran dan keinginan, untuk menghindari penyakit dan penderitaan dan membebaskan diri dari kehidupan duniawi.

Di kuburan saya tidak takut setan, saya berusaha untuk mencapai kadamaian batin dan sadar diri sampai sampai bila ada nyamuk hinggap ditangan saya membiarkannya menggigit tangan saya dari pada mengusirnya.

Bertahun-tahun saya berusaha untuk jadi Rahib terbaik dan tidak menyakiti mahluk hidup. Saya belajar pelajaran Budha suci ini seperti semua nenek moyang kami lakukan sebelum saya. Kehidupan saya sebagai Rahib berjalan terus sampai suatu waktu saya menderita sakit keras. Saya ada di Mandalay waktu itu dan harus dibawa ke rumah sakit untuk perawatan. Dokter melakukan beberapa pengecekan pada saya dan memberitahu saya bahwa saya terjangkit penyakit kuning dan malaria bersamaan. Sesudah sebulan di rumah sakit saya malah makin gawat. Dokter memberi tahu saya bahwa tak ada harapan sembuh untuk saya dan mengeluarkan saya dari rumah sakit untuk mempersiapkan kematian.

Inilah penjelasan singkat masa lalu saya. Sekarang saya ingin menceritakan beberapa hal luar biasa yang terjadi pada diri saya sesudahnya.

Penglihatan Yang Mengubah Hidup Saya Selamanya

Sesudah saya dikeluarkan dari rumah sakit saya kembali ke tempat di mana para Rahib yang lain mengurus saya. Saya makin hari makin lemah dan makin susut karena badan busuk dan bau kematian, dan akhrinya jantung saya berhenti berdenyut. Tubuh saya dipersiapkan untuk kremasi dan melalui tata cara pemurnian agama Budha.

Walaupun tubuh saya mati tapi saya ingat dan sadar dalam fikiran dan roh saya. Saya ada dalam badai besar. Angin kencang meniup seluruh daratan sampai tidak ada pohon atau apapun yang berdiri, semua rata, saya berjalan sangat cepat di jalan rata itu untuk beberapa lama. Tak ada orang lain, hanya saya sendiri, kemudian saya menyeberang sebuah sungai. Di seberang sungai itu saya melihat danau api yang sangat sangat besar. Dalam agama Budha kami tidak ada gambaran tempat seperti ini. Pada mulanya saya bingung dan tak tahu bahwa itu adalah neraka sampai saya lihat Yama, raja neraka (Yama adalah nama untuk raja neraka dalam kebudayaan Asia) mukanya seperti singa, badannya seperti singa , tetapi kakinya seperti seekor naga (roh naga). Dia mempunyai beberapa tanduk di kepalanya. Wajahnya sangat mengerikan dan saya sangat ketakutan. Dengan gemetar, saya tanya namanya.

Dia jawab "Saya adalah raja neraka, si Perusak!"

Danau Api Yang Sangat Mengerikan

Raja neraka memberi tahu saya untuk melihat ke danau api itu. Saya memandang dan melihat jubah warna kunyit yang biasa dipakai rahib Budha di Myanmar. Saya memandang dan melihat kepala gundul seorang laki-laki. Waktu saya lihat wajah orang itu saya mengenalinya sebagai U Zadila Kyar Ni Kan Sayadaw (rahib terkenal yang mati kecelakaan mobil tahun 1983). Saya tanya raja neraka mengapa pemimpin saya, diikat dalam danau penyiksaan ini.

Saya tanya "Mengapa dia ada dalam danau api ini? Dia seorang guru yang baik."

Dia bahkan mempunyai kaset pengajaran yang berjudul 'Apakah anda manusia atau anjing?'

Yang sudah membantu ribuan orang mengerti bahwa sebagai manusia sangat berharga jauh dibandingkan binatang.

Raja neraka itu menjawab, "Betul, dia seorang guru yang baik, tetapi dia tidak percaya pada Yesus Kristus. Itulah sebabnya dia ada di neraka."

Saya diberi tahu untuk melihat orang lain yang ada di dalam api itu. Saya lihat seorang laki-laki dengan rambut panjang dililitkan dibagian kiri kepalanya. Dia juga mengenakan jubah.

Saya tanya raja neraka "Siapa orang itu?"

Dia menjawab, "Inilah yang kau sembah, Gautama(Budha)".

Saya sangat terganggu melihat Gautama di neraka.

Saya protes, "Gautama orang baik, mempunyai karakter moral yang baik, mengapa dia menderita di dalam danau api ini?"

Raja neraka menjawab saya "Tak peduli bagaimana baiknya dia. Ia ada di tempat ini karena dia tidak percaya pada Allah yang kekal"

Saya kemudian melihat seorang yang lain yang tampaknya memakai seragam tentara. Dia terluka di dada-nya.

Saya tanya "Siapa dia?"

Raja neraka berkata "Ini Aung San, pemimpin revolusi Myanmar".

Saya kemudian diberi tahu, "Aung San di sini karena dia menyiksa dan membunuh orang-orang Kristen, tapi terutama karena dia tidak percaya Yesus Kristus."

Di Myanmar ada pepatah, "Tentara tak pernah mati, hidup terus."

Saya diberitahu bahwa tentara neraka mempunyai pepatah "Tentara tak pernah mati, tapi ke neraka selamanya."

Saya amati dan melihat orang lain didanau api itu. Dia orang yang sangat tinggi dan memakai baju baja militer. Dia juga menyandang pedang dan perisai. Orang ini terluka di dahinya. Orang ini lebih tinggi dari siapapun yang pernah saya lihat. Dia enam kali panjang jarak siku sampai ujung jarinya waktu dia luruskan kedua lengannya , ditambah satu jengkal waktu dia rentangkan tangannya. Raja neraka itu berkata orang ini namanya Goliath. Dia di neraka karena dia menghina Allah yang kekal dan hambanya Daud. Saya bingung karena saya tidak tahu siapa itu Goliath dan Daud.

Raja neraka berkata, "Goliath tercatat di Alkitab orang Kristen. Kamu tidak tahu dia sekarang, tapi kalau kamu jadi Kristen, kamu akan tahu siapa dia.”

Saya dibawa ke sebuah tempat di mana saya lihat orang kaya dan miskin menyiapkan makan malam mereka.

Saya tanya "Siapa yang memasak makanan untuk orang-orang itu?"

Raja itu menjawab "Yang miskin harus menyiapkan makanan mereka, tapi yang kaya menyuruh yang lain untuk memasak untuk mereka."

Ketika makanan sudah tersedia untuk yang kaya, mereka duduk untuk makan. Segera setelah mereka mulai makan asap tebal keluar. Yang kaya makan secepat sebisa mereka agar mereka tidak pingsan. Mereka berusaha keras untuk dapat bernafas karena asap itu. Mereka harus makan cepat-cepat karena mereka takut kehilangan uang mereka. Uang mereka adalah tuhan mereka.

Seorang raja yang lain kemudian datang pada saya. Saya juga melihat satu mahluk yang kerjanya menjaga api di bawah danau api agar tetap panas.

Mahluk ini bertanya pada saya "Apa kamu juga akan masuk ke danau api ini?"

Saya jawab, "Tidak! saya di sini untuk hanya mengamati!"

Bentuk mahluk yang menjaga api itu sangat menakutkan. Dia punya 10 tanduk dikepalanya dan sebatang tombak di tangannya yang pada ujungnya ada 7 pisau tajam.

Mahluk ini berkata "Kamu betul, kamu datang ke sini hanya untuk mengamati. Saya tak temukan namamu disini".

Katanya "Kamu harus kembali dari mana kamu datang tadi"

Dia menunjukan arah pada saya tempat terpencil rata yang saya lewati sebelumnya waktu datang ke danau api ini.

Keputusan Untuk Memilih Jalan

Saya jalan cukup lama, sampai saya berdarah. Saya sangat kepanasan dan kesakitan. Akhirnya setelah berjalan sekitar 3 jam saya sampai di sebuah jalan yang lebar. Saya berjalan sepanjang jalan ini beberapa lama sampai menemukan persimpangan. Satu jalan arah kiri, lebar. Jalan yang lebih kecil menuju ke sebelah kanan. Ada tanda disimpang itu yang berbunyi jalan kiri untuk mereka yang tidak percaya pada Tuhan Yesus Kristus, jalan yang lebih kecil menuju ke kanan untuk yang percaya Yesus.

Saya tertarik melihat ke mana tujuan jalan yang lebih besar itu, jadi saya mulai melaluinya. Ada 2 orang berjalan kira-kira 300 yard di depan saya. Saya coba mengejar mereka agar dapat jalan bersama, tetapi sekerasnya saya coba tak dapat mengejar mereka, jadi saya putar balik dan kembali ke simpang jalan tadi.

Saya terus perhatikan kedua orang yang berjalan tadi. Waktu mereka mencapai ujung jalan tiba-tiba mereka ditikam. Kedua orang itu berteriak sangat kesakitan. Saya juga menjerit keras waktu melihat apa yang terjadi pada mereka Saya sadar akhir dari jalan yang lebih lebar sangat berbahaya untuk mereka yang menjalaninya.

Melihat Surga

Saya mulai melangkah ke jalan Orang Percaya. Sesudah berjalan sekitar 1 jam, permukaan jalan berubah jadi emas murni. Sungguh murni sampai-sampai waktu saya lihat kebawah saya dapat melihat bayangan saya dengan sempurna.

Kemudian saya lihat seseorang berdiri di depan saya.

Dia memakai jubah putih.

Saya juga mendengar nyanyian merdu.

Oh, alangkah indah dan murninya!

Sangat jauh lebih baik dan berarti dibandingkan penyembahan yang kita dengar di gereja manapun di dunia. Orang berjubah tersebut meminta saya berjalan bersamanya.

Saya bertanya padanya, "Siapakah namamu?" tetapi dia tidak menjawabnya.

Baru sesudah saya tanya dia 6 kali orang itu menjawab, "Saya yang memegang kunci ke surga. Surga tempat yang sangat sangat indah. Kamu tak dapat pergi ke sana sekarang tetapi kalau kamu mengikuti Yesus Kristus kamu dapat pergi ke sana sesudah hidupmu selesai di bumi".

Orang itu bernama Petrus. Petrus kemudian meminta saya untuk duduk dan menunjukkan pada saya sebuah tempat di sebelah utara. Petrus berkata, "Lihat ke utara dan lihatlah Allah menciptakan manusia".

Saya melihat Allah kekal di kejauhan.

Allah berkata pada seorang malaikat, "Mari kita ciptakan manusia."

Malaikat itu memohon pada Allah dan berkata, "Jangan menciptakan manusia. Dia akan berbuat dosa dan mendukakan Engkau." (dalam bahasa asli Burma berarti: "Dia akan mempermalukan Engkau")

Tetapi Allah tetap menciptakan manusia. Allah meniupkan nafasNya dan manusia itu hidup. Dia memberi nama orang itu "Adam". (catatan: agama Budha tidak percaya penciptaan dunia atau manusia sehingga pengalaman ini sangat besar pengaruhnya pada rahib itu).

Dikembalikan Dengan Nama Baru

Kemudian Petrus berkata, "Sekarang bangunlah dan kembalilah melalui jalan di mana engkau datang. Katakan pada orang-orang yang menyembah Budha dan menyembah berhala. Beri tahu mereka bahwa mereka akan pergi ke neraka bila mereka tidak berubah. Mereka yang membangun kuil/kelenteng dan berhala juga akan ke neraka. Mereka yang yang memberikan persembahan pada para rahib untuk mendapatkan jasa untuk mereka sendiri juga akan ke neraka. Mereka yang menyembah rahib dan memanggil mereka "Pra" (gelar kehormatan bagi rahib) akan ke neraka. Mereka yang menyanyi dan memberikan hidupnya untuk berhala akan ke neraka. Mereka yang tidak percaya Yesus Kristus akan ke neraka.”

Petrus memberi tahu saya untuk kembali ke bumi dan bersaksi tentang semua apa yang telah saya lihat. Dia juga berkata, “Kamu harus bicara dengan nama yang baru. Sejak saat ini kamu harus dipanggil Athet Pyan Shinthaw Paulu (Paulus yang kembali hidup).”

Saya tidak mau kembali. Saya ingin tinggal di surga. Seorang kemudian malaikat membuka sebuah buku. Pertama-tama mereka mencari nama masa kecilku (Thitpin) dalam buku, tapi mereka tak menemukannya. Kemudian mereka mencari nama yang diberikan pada saya waktu masuk agama Budha (U Nata Pannita Ashinthuriya), tapi juga tidak tertulis disitu.

Kemudian Petrus berkata, "Namamu tidak tertulis di sini, kamu harus kembali dan bersaksi tentang Yesus pada orang-orang yang beragama Budha."

Saya berjalan kembali melalui jalan emas. Saya dengar lagi nyanyian yang merdu, yang tak pernah saya dengar sebelumnya. Petrus berjalan dengan saya sampai saatnya saya kembali ke bumi. Dia menunjukkan pada saya tangga untuk kembali ke bumi antara surga dan langit. Tangga itu tidak sampai ke bumi, tetapi berhenti di udara.

Pada saat di tangga saya lihat banyak sekali malaikat, ada yang naik ke surga dan ada yang turun ke tangga. Mereka sangat sibuk. Saya

tanya Petrus, "Siapakah mereka?".

Petrus menjawab, "Mereka pesuruh Tuhan. Mereka melaporkan ke surga nama-nama mereka yang percaya Yesus Kristus dan nama-nama mereka yang tidak percaya."

Petrus kemudian memberi tahu saya, sudah waktunya untuk kembali.

Hantu!

Tiba-tiba saya mendengar sebuah tangisan. Saya dengar ibu saya sedang menangis, "Anakku, mengapa engkau meninggalkan kami sekarang?"

Saya juga mendengar orang-orang lain menangis.

Saya kemudian sadar saya sedang terbujur dalam sebuah peti.

Saya mulai bergerak.

Ibu dan ayahku berteriak, "Dia hidup, dia hidup!"

Orang lain yang agak jauh tidak percaya.

Kemudian saya taruh tangan saya di kedua sisi peti itu dan duduk tegak. Banyak orang ketakutan. Mereka menjerit, "Hantu!" dan berlari secepat kaki mereka membawanya.

Mereka yang tertinggal, diam dan bergemetaran.

Saya merasakan saya sedang duduk dalam cairan yang tak sedap baunya, cairan tubuh, cukup banyak untuk dapat mengisi 3,5 gelas. Itu adalah cairan yang keluar dari perut dan bagian dalam tubuhku ketika tubuhku terbujur di dalam peti mati. Inilah sebabnya orang tahu bahwa saya sudah betul-betul mati. Di dalam peti mati ini ada semacam lembaran plastik yang ditempelkan pada kayu peti. Lembaran plastik ini untuk menampung cairan yang keluar dari mayat, karena tubuh orang meninggal banyak mengeluarkan cairan seperti yang saya alami.

Saya diberi tahu kemudian bahwa hanya beberapa saat lagi saya dikremasi dalam api. Di Myanmar orang mati dimasukan kedalam peti mati, tutupnya kemudian dipaku, dan kemudian dibakar. Ketika saya kembali hidup, ibu dan ayahku sedang melihat tubuhku untuk terakhir kalinya. Sesaat lagi tutup peti akan segera dipaku dan saya akan dikremasikan. Saya segera mulai menjelaskan hal-hal yang saya lihat dan dengar. Orang-orang merasa heran.

Saya ceritakan orang-orang yang saya lihat di dalam danau api itu, dan memberi tahu hanya orang Kristen yang tahu kebenaran, bahwa nenek moyang kita dan kita sudah tertipu ribuan tahun! Saya beri tahu mereka segala sesuatu yang kita percayai adalah kebohongan. Orang-orang merasa heran sebab mereka tahu rahib macam apa saya dan bagaimana bersemangatnya saya dalam pengajaran Budha. Di Myanmar ketika seseorang meninggal, namanya dan umurnya ditulis disamping peti mati. Ketika seorang rahib meninggal, namanya, umurnya dan masa pelayanannya sebagai rahib dituliskan di samping peti mati. Saya sudah ditulis mati tetapi seperti yang anda lihat, sekarang saya hidup!

Penutup

Sejak "Paul yang kembali hidup" mengalami kisah di atas dia tetap menjadi saksi yang setia kepada Yesus Kristus. Para Gembala di Burma mengabarkan bahwa dia sudah membawa ratusan rahib lain untuk beriman kepada Yesus.Kesaksiannya jelas sekali tak berkompromi. Oleh sebab itu, pesan dia telah menyakitkan banyak orang yang tidak dapat menerima hanya ada satu jalan ke surga, Yesus Kristus.

Walaupun menghadapi penolakan yang sangat besar, pengalamannya sungguh nyata sehingga ia tak pernah ragu maupun bimbang. Setelah sekian tahun dalam lingkungan biara Budha, sebagai pengikut ajaran Budha yang setia, beralih menyatakan Injil Kristus sesudah kebangkitannya dari mati dan mendesak rahib yang lain untuk meninggalkan semua dewa-dewa palsu dan menjadi pengikut Yesus dengan sepenuh hati. Sebelum sakit dan matinya dia tidak punya pengetahuan sedikitpun tentang ke-Kristenan. Semua yang dia dapatkan selama 3 hari dalam kematian adalah baru dalam fikirannya. Dalam mengabarkan pesannya sebanyak mungkin pada orang-orang.

Lazarus modern ini mulai membagikan audio dan video kaset mengenai kisahnya. Polisi serta pihak berwenang di Myanmar sudah berusaha sekuatnya untuk mengumpulkan kaset-kaset ini dan memusnahkannya.

Kesaksian yang baru saja Anda baca adalah salah satu terjemahan dari kaset itu. Kami diberi tahu bahwa sekarang sangat berbahaya bagi warga Myanmar untuk memiliki kaset ini. Kesaksiannya yang tak kenal takut telah membuatnya dipenjara, di mana yang berwenang telah gagal menawarkan dia untuk bungkam. Sesudah dilepaskan dia terus bersaksi tentang apa yang dia lihat dan dengar.

Keberadaannya sekarang tidak jelas. Seorang nara sumber di Burma mengatakan bahwa dia di penjara dan bahkan mungkin sudah dibunuh, sumber lain mengabarkan bahwa dia sudah dilepaskan dari penjara dan sedang meneruskan pelayanannya

Puisi

2007-10-18T13:25:00.000-04:00

Lagi baca ini terus bagus bgt :d. Remind all of us. Taken from jawaban.com forums

Tuhan Yesus
Saat aku MENYUKAI seorang TEMAN
Ingatkanlah aku bahwa akan ada sebuah AKHIR
Sehingga aku tetap bersama YANG TAK PERNAH BERAKHIR

Tuhan Yesus
Ketika aku MERINDUKAN seorang KEKASIH
RINDUkanlah aku kepada dia yang RINDU CINTA SEJATIMU
Agar keRINDUanku terhadap-Mu semakin BERTAMBAH

Tuhan Yesus
Jika aku hendak MENCINTAI seseorang
Temukanlah aku dengan orang yang MENCINTAIMU
Agar bertambah KUAT CINTAKU padaMU

Tuhan Yesus
Ketika aku sedang JATUH CINTA
Jagalah CINTA itu
Agar tidak meLEBIHi cintaku PADAMU

Tuhan Yesus
Ketika aku berucap AKU JUGA CINTA PADAMU
Biarlah kukatakan kepada yang HATINYA TERPAUT padaMU
Agar aku TAK JATUH dalam CINTA yang bukan KARENAMU

Tuhan Yesus
Ketika aku berirkrar AKU AKAN SETIA sampai maut memisahkan Biarlah kuNYATAkan kepada dia yang MENGGENAPKAN visiMu atas hidupku

MENCINTAI seseorang BUKANLAH APA APA
DICINTAI seseorang adalah SESUATU
DICINTAI oleh orang yang KAU CINTAI sangatlah BERARTI

Tapi lebih dari yang itu ingatlah
DICINTAI oleh SANG PENCIPTA adalah SEGALANYA

Miliki kerinduan untuk MENCINTAI YESUS lebih
Dari SEGALA yang ada padamu
TETAP SETIA sampai pada akhirnya

Aku .. Untuk.. Kamu

2007-10-06T00:20:00.000-04:00

Still
Words and Music by Reuben Morgan

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

The red part is really interesting. Right now I'm still trying to figure it out :D.

change of point of view

2007-10-06T00:06:00.000-04:00

hi all, haven't blog for a while. Hehe school is surely tough and one thing that I like is that I try to change my attitude toward school. Well, for a long time I always thought that school is all about praising God and get A in the class. It's all that I know about school since I entered college but trust me, the more effort I tried to get A, the more I far away from God. That's what I felt most of the times. I have this kind of thinking, if people go to medical school, they don't need to worry about their grades. Since they'll graduate and applying their knowledges in their work place. I mean not totally slacking ok but at least you don't need to worry about grades, going to school and then listening to the professor + finally doing your best in all exams. Well I always have this kind of thinking toward other major except MY MAJOR. I always thought Mechanical Engineering is all about getting A in all exam and do perfectly in all homework + project.

This week I change the way I'm thinking, I try to apply the other major concept to what I'm doing in the school. Well I'll apply it fully on next week actually, not this week. But to be honest, when I change my perspective about school and right now the only thing I care is all about going to class, understanding the materials and do the best in exams. I don't care anymore about the grades or obtaining full score in homework. Without I realizing it, this week is actually the first week where I enjoy my college's life. It's not all about grades anymore but it's a matter about understanding the materials. That's why I start to dislike when people talk and all they care is grades. Most talking that I do is all about what you got on exam and then some other guy explaining they don't study well and bla bla bla. I rarely find any engineering student actually talk about exam's problem and how it suppose to be solved. Well, if the only thing you care is grades and you don't enjoy what you study ?Then why do you study it ? It's a very simple mind. One thing that I dislike is that if people complaining that they study too much or the material is too hard, bla bla bla. It's like you don't enjoy what you're doing, if you're enjoying it then do it and most people that I know will do it gladly. Man, but that's life that we're going through. One thing that I believe is that God will take care of us. We don't need to take care of ourselves because our father in Heaven already provide us with everything. So no need to pusing2 lah about grades :P.

Indy's tournament

2007-09-30T21:34:00.000-04:00

well, I almost didn't attend this tournament. In the beginning I'm kinda hesitate since this tournament is too near with my exam time and plus now I need to go to Bloomington on Sunday. But out of nowhere I try this new experience since I don't have any MD partner. Start with handoko last week and now I just talk with Hery a week before the tournament that let's try playing MD for Indy's tournament. Well, I don't have any expectation, just want to play together with friend and the place is in Indy too so it won't be a problem since it won't required me to drive like 3 hours or so. So we play today and we lost the first match. It's like we're lacking of concentration to attack on the second game and end of third game. We can win comfortably in first game but they decide to play more aggressive and do a lot of shot variation. The net play haven't give me any problem but one of my opponent smash is devastating (Not as devastate as Edy though :P). it cost us the match when we can't concentrate on the last point. Then we play the consolidation match. We play the second match and we won then we cruise to final in MD consolidation. The funny thing is that we expect Budi and his partner to win the other consolidation semifinal match and they win it for like 1 minutes until they realize that they make a mistake since they're not familiar with the rally scoring. They think that they already win at 23-22 until someone told them to continue since it need a difference of 2. Then when they play again, of course they already lost their concentration and lost the match 23-25. When we play the final, the score is always very close. I never thought that we can win the final match since our opponent is much better than us (me & hery). But thanks God somehow we manage to win the first set like 21-16 or 21-19 I'm not sure but it's a very close one. During the second game, we lead the game first until they change their strategy and lead the game. It is very nervous when they lead and we make a lot of mistakes so the gap is getting bigger. Until, we somehow manage to make it even 18-18. Somehow again I'm not sure that we get 3 points consecutively and close the match 21-18. That's one of a close game, and for sure it's very fun to partnering with Brothers in Christ. One thing I learned from this badminton game is that to keep focus and never give up. I realize it during our final on second game, when me & Hery already make a lot of mistakes and make them lead the second game. In my heart I want to throw away this game since we already win the first game. But once again, He reminded me to keep fighting although it's hard and finally I decide to just give my best in the game and I don't want to think about possibilities or winning & losing and we won the game. Today the Lord taught me another lesson to never give up although the situations against you to climb up.

covering each other back

2007-09-30T21:32:00.000-04:00

receiving serve

2007-09-30T21:31:00.001-04:00

discussion time during break

2007-09-30T21:30:00.000-04:00

back from clearing the ball

2007-09-30T21:29:00.001-04:00

clearing the ball

2007-09-30T21:27:00.001-04:00

Partnering with hery

2007-09-30T21:26:00.001-04:00

Indy's tournament

2007-09-30T21:25:00.001-04:00

happy bday

2007-09-30T00:44:00.000-04:00

well just wanna say happy birthday to Frisca, Vony and Otis. Well, who can guess than in the end of September there are so many people who celebrates their birthday. :D. May God always pour out His blessing to all of you always and I hope all of you be more wise. (Anyway gw mao naruh umur mrk masing2 disini tapi takut dikejer2 nanti :P)

watching heroes

2007-09-29T22:32:00.000-04:00

Okay, today has been a very unproductive day for me :(. All of my day I spend watching TV series called heroes. Actually it all started by Wenie (ga ada maksud mejadikan kambing item loh :P) that keeps saying during our speech class that she wants to go home to watch heroes on NBC on Monday. Hum, at first still no impression or so but then she start to promote that I should watch it since it was a good series. That's the point when my heart start to say maybe I'll give it a try. Then in the beginning of the semester it's Michael turn to promote it to me. He said that the movie is good and he's kinda sort of having all of season 1 in his computer and he can give me if I want to. Well, that time I'm putting Heroes into something I should really try to watch and nothing wrong by only watching 1 episode and if I didn't like it I'll just stop it. Then 2 weeks ago when I went to Wenie's apt and finding that Sunie have Heroes DVD full season 1. I want to ask but kinda hesitate since Sunie isn't there at that time. Finally, yesterday after I take Wenie to grocery store since Ivan can't cook for Care Group yesterday and Wenie volunteers so I lay down a bit in the sofa. Suddenly, this idea comes out, what if I try to watch while I'm waiting since it was 3 more hours to caregroup time. Then I sit and turn the DVD on, well I kinda remembered what Sunie said a few days ago that the good show start at episode 3. But when I watched it yesterday, it thrills me from the beginning. Man, I get addicted after I watch about three episodes and decide to borrow it from Sunie (Thanks God she's coming back home early). Well, when I continue watching it after Care group I couldn't stop and I woke up today then continue watching it until it's finish. In total I watch 23 episodes in 1 days. That's crazy and the worst thing is that I just realize it after I'm done with everything. One thing that I want to share why I like the movie is that this isn't just a typical superhero movies although I admit the idea of the superhero power is kinda similar with X-men, telekinetic, teleport, superpower, etc. but the setting of this movie makes it more like drama. So it's not just all about bad guy beating up the good guy. Sometimes it makes us think about our morality. it involves moral decision and the most important thing is that this movie is similar with Spiderman. Heroes used a setting of real place in this world such as NY and LA. Plus this TV series shows that becoming a hero isn't just about having extraordinary ability but they have to deal with their common life problem such as winning election, marriage life and etc. Overall I rate 4/5 since I expect more action :P.

Practice

2007-09-24T02:46:00.001-04:00

It used to be I'm very concern with so called talent. But John Maxwell book titled "Talent is never enough" confirms my new idea. I always thought that talent isn't everything, what matters the most is what you called "passion". Talented people won't succeeds if they don't have passion, why? because passion gives power to people to keep practicing and training. In his book, Maxwell described that he never find any people with passion lost energy to keep going forward. It really rebuked me, since high school time I always really on this so called talent. I really excel in classic physics not because I have passion for it but because I understand it easily. That's what drives me to become Mechanical engineering major and it really helps. Nowadays, I find that it was wrong. My Design class really open my eyes and start to build my passion for that. If before I always skip boring class or a class that I've understood the materials, that's totally wrong and I regret it. Well past is past, I can never changed that but thanks God for reminding me this thing. Talent won't bring you far away but passion does. One interesting conversation with Ko Bun2 yesterday is when I asked him to teach my to play guitar. He asked what do I have and I showed him, he only give me one advise, train more. I already have the basic and he share a story for me. The writer of the song "Open the eyes of my heart Lord" always go to the cafe when he can't play guitar. Everyday he just look at the person who play guitar in the cafe and feel amazed and more amazed. One day, he ask the play who play guitar in the cafe "What's the different between you and me ? how can you play guitar very well ?" The guy who play the guitar in the cafe only give short answer. "The difference is 500 hours of practice." This sharing really blessed me and encouraged me to keep going forward and train more. The big difference between us and succeed people is experience and practices.

GBU always

Chicago trip

2007-09-24T02:20:00.000-04:00

Second time going to Chicago in this month but this trip is more interesting. It all start with my tiredness that make me get lost on the way to cie Nova & ko Bun2's house. Well, what do you expect ? I just spend almost 5 hours to fix my project after my group mates suddenly called and then there's some problem on our project while I'm doing the report. Thanks God, all three of us live in Speedway so I don't need to drive really far away to meet my group mates. Then continue with Care group which take more energy to talk about the word of God. Thanks to Ivan who help clean my apartment a bit after the caregroup so I can arrived in Chicago around 12 o'clock Chicago time. The point is after I arrived in the exit of Lake st, I make a mistake by going east where I suppose to go west. It takes 30 minutes to fix that mistake and thanks God I still can arrive safely in their place. As usual, I slept at 2 and then wake up at 7:30 since the tournament start at 9 and Ci Nova + ko Bun2's house is only 30 minutes from the tournament's place. Start with activities as usual such as warming up because Men's double is the earliest one that they'll play. Hum, this is one of the worst tournament I've ever played. I can't play as usual, bad communication in the first match and many more mistakes. It always happen to me when I play in new court and it takes 1 whole match to get adjusted. Plus, this is my first time partnering with handoko, takes more time to get adjust. Somehow I don't get the feeling of safety, every time I try to attack or play fast, there's a bit hesitant feeling inside of me that makes me made a lot of unforced error or changing into lifting the shuttle. It does cost a lot since defending isn't my type at all, in the first 2 game I felt somehow angry to myself and I don't play much. Our opponents aren't that good but they're very consistent compare to us. There's one time we manage to lead all the way 13-4 but ending up losing the set 16-21. A lot of disappointment for my own self specially because I play far below my performances. Well, we still manage to cruise until semifinal until I know we can only play it on Sunday at 10 o'clock. Hum, that's really tiring especially we have played 4 games and at that point we're only in semifinal ? It means we have 2 more games to go to win this group. Plus I need to go to the church on Sunday, with a lot of sorry I decide to walk over. But Merrel seems will play to replace me on Sunday, it sounds better since he's a better player than me. Well, I learned something from this tournament and that's the most important thing other than having fun.

On Sunday, I went to CCBC. Going to Church and sing Worship to God with Brothers & Sisters is another thing that I really look forward to in Weekend. Well, the sermon by Ps Ronny is more aimed toward working people but most of the point is still applicable for students. Tiredness still affect me a lot especially since I just drove for 3 hours and play on Saturday, somehow I manage to take 5 minutes nap in the middle of sermon :P (Luckily it's not ko Kim Liong who preach :P). It always enjoy to go to Chicago and stay over in friend's place because usually I'm the one who have guest. The most important thing is that I can have a chit chat with family in Christ so I always learned new things and able to share little things too with them. Anyway, during Saturday I talked a lot this time with ko Bun2. Specially since he'll help us (Indiana City Blessing Church) once a month. So it was a really important for him to know the condition and for me to understand his vision. Plus I can always buy some empek2 from Ci Nova :P. If you ask me why do I go this time to Chicago, the tournament isn't the main reason. Let's make it secret unless you ask me personally :P. But 3 hours driving do feels like 5 minutes though :D.

first time ministry in Bloomington

2007-09-19T22:19:00.000-04:00

Since pastor Chris leave us, there has been a problem in both Lafayette and Bloomington church, both of them will be lack of preacher. Lafayette was kinda lucky since they're located around highway + their church schedule on Saturday afternoon and their location is near big cities such as Chicago. Well being said, thanks for help from CCBC who are willing to rotate their minister around to go to Lafayette and Bloomington each week. But there just one problem for Bloomington, since their church is on Sunday afternoon + their location is kinda far (5 hours) from Chicago, it give some problem for Ko Kiem Liong rotation. Since before Pastor Chris leaving, he only leaves me with 1 message, the point is at least once a month I have to help to fill the empty space of preacher in Bloomington. Easier said than done, I'm not sure if I can do it. The point isn't anymore about skill, but about willingness and keep your Holiness. Speaking in Care group is easier since it's more about sharing and less serious talk. But talking in church is definitely more serious one. One thing that makes me hesitate even until 1 day before I should minister in Bloomington church is that I know if I accept this I have to keep my Holiness before Him even more. My hesitation goes away when I talk with Ko Bernard, he encourages me to take the step even though all of my problem with Sin haven't finished yet. He said when I takes the responsibility it'll help me to go to higher level. Indeed, he helps me building my confidence. So last Sunday I do my minister in Bloomington, the church isn't big at all. Still I can't get rid of my nervousness, even though it's my second time speaking in the church, sharing my story. Thanks God, the nervous feeling start to fade away with the time goes. The church only consist 8 people. But I believe one thing, everything that we sow, we will reap it and when it comes to God. Number doesn't really matter, the one that really matter is faithfulness. Being faithful to Him mean obeying Him in all condition. It always feels good when I pray for other people and I really want to say thanks to God for this chance. I never thought that someday I'll talk in front of the church, one thing that I never dreamed. Well, God is indeed faithful and His plan is higher than our plan. That's one thing that I know for sure.

This week Badminton tournament

2007-09-19T15:39:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a long time for me to play in the tournament. One of the big difference with the previous tournaments is that I always play Men Double with Stephanus, he's a very strong guy in the back. Usually, I just play in front of the net and make the kills or setting up for smash and Stephanus is the one who make the smash to kill it or make it half court return so I can kill it. That's the way we play and we're surely will lose if we change positions ( me in the back and he's in the front). We never win but we always learn something from every tournaments we play together. Start from getting rid of our nervousness, better combination, control of emotion, change of tactics and also understand each other better. This time I'll play with Handoko and it means a big change for me, I'll be no longer play only in the front and I have to make early kill in the match since it'll be hard for us to win if it's goes to rally. The key point is to find out other player weakness and keep attacking it so they can't resist it. It's easy to say if you're outside of the court and watching people play. But inside the court if you're playing, it's totally different. The only skill I've been practicing lately is to make my smash more accurate by aiming the line on the side since my smash is really2 weak. It has been goes really well so far, it just I need more consistency and better understanding of my partner. Well, I don't have any target so it'll be good for me since I'll play without any worries.

Pressure

2007-09-19T15:36:00.001-04:00

This week is full of pressure on me, tons of homeworks and the most disturbing thing is that 3 exams next week combined with 1 project due this Friday. I haven't feel this thing since 3 years ago. I really need to do well to boost my confidence for the rest of the semester. All of those class isn't an easy one. But this time of pressure is a good time to remind myself to surrender to God. Well, the big difference between 3 years ago and now is that now I enjoy it since I really like the subject and praying to God makes a very big differences to my mental state.

New partnership

2007-09-19T15:31:00.000-04:00

Good news, IUPUI just made a partnership with Indygo Bus service. Basically, right now all of IUPUI student can use Indygo bus service for free to any destinations and anytime. We just need to pick up a student pass in Student ID office. Well, this is certainly a good news for me since right now I can just use the bus to go to school, it saves my car gasoline and mileages. Thanks God for that :D.

Chicago trip

2007-09-19T15:11:00.000-04:00

Last week I just went to Chicago for trip. I considered myself a little bit weird since last week through 2 more weeks from now is the busiest weeks I'll go through this semester. Start from MATH 537 Homework that's actually will be graded equal to exam grade, Design Project class that didn't go as good as it supposed to be due to lack of communication, tons of homeworks and etc. Anyway, it starts from Patricia who can't take Pamelia to Chicago since she'll have tons materials for her exams this week and Pamelia is going back to San Jose this week. So the only chance for her to visit Chicago will be last weekend. Well, her parents definitely won't allow her to go to Chicago alone, so I decide to take her with Wennie to Chicago to look around. Don't ask me why I want to go, anyway at first Patricia said to me to just sit beside Pamelia and let her drive. In my mind I said "what ? There's not many girl who dare to drive in Chicago and I'm not sure if Pamelia is one of it" (notes: Chicago traffic is crazy :P). Later on Pamelia made a testimony that at first she thought of driving to Chicago but after we returned she said that it was a mistake, since the road is very complicated. So I planned my trip and on Friday night, there's a change of plan since Evan (Pamelia's cousin want to join to visit his brother in Chicago).On Saturday morning we went to IKEA first to buy a book shelf for Wennie and then after that we eat in Asian Noodle house. Next destination is downtown or Millennium park as first destination in Downtown. There's a bit delay in our plan since we arrived later than it supposed to be so we don't have time to visit the aquarium, planetarium and Museum. We go directly to take a architectural tour using boat. It was my second time taking that boat and it's very fun hearing explanation of each building in Chicago. We ate dinner in Kien Kee restaurant (Chinatown) with Evan's brother and that time Pamelia make a decision to stay 1 night in Chicago. The food is good as usual and what's more surprising is that we met some people from CCBC (Chicago City blessing Church) and it's quite odd since it was 11 PM and they just have dinner (well then we're odd too).

That's quick summary about last weekend trip to Chicago and this week I'll go to Chicago again for badminton tournament with Hery and friends.

God cares

2007-09-14T14:41:00.001-04:00

A lot of times we expect God to do big things in our life, we expect Him to give us better car, place to life, grades, etc. Today I want to share that God cares every aspect in our lives including a lot of things just like He said in Luke 12:7 : "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."Even in the small things that we ask will be given to us. Many times I didn't have a chance to lift up my prayer to ask small things but indeed He is God who knows my need. It start with looking for parking spot (I copy from Debora :P), I ask God to give me the best parking spot (in IUPUI it was so freaking hard to find parking spot around noon) and He always give me a good parking spot, yesterday when I need to borrow a locker to keep my belongings but I forget my student ID card suddenly I met reza and I borrow his student ID and so I was successful and I don't need to bring all of those heavy books all the way, and last year I borrowed a book from Vishal since my friend need the book and after 2 years we never contact each other until Vishal ask me to bring his book back, I'm so confused at that moment. Especially since I never met my friend anymore, I just said I'll try to find it. Suddenly out of nowhere, I met my friends on BMV, isn't it amazing ? 2 years never met and suddenly we met in a very unexpected place and in the right moment. Right now I just got Vishal book and about to return it to him. Those things looks small but one thing that I believe, small or big thing never really matters. The most important thing is that God take care each one of us without we realizing it :D. I never pay attention of this things until today :D. Thanks Lord. Here is a song:

He knows my name
By: Tommy Walker

I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hands

Chorus
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and He hears me when I call

I have a Father
He calls me His own
He?ll never leave me
No matter where I go

play badminton in purdue

2007-09-13T21:56:00.001-04:00

Yesterday (Wednesday) I felt so bored and pressured with a lot of assignment need to be done. To be honest I need to relax myself out and I felt so bad if I go to Budi's home and play his Nintendo Wii. So suddenly I asked Vina whether there is badminton going on in Purdue on Wednesday night or not. After she said yes and it'll start @9 o'clock I decided to go since that's one way to relax myself. I felt enjoyed if I play against good player that makes me dive all around the court and beat me really bad :P (It motivates me to play better next time and I learn something). Well, I arrived there and borrow Iecun ID to enter Corec. Then I played until like 12:30. I met some new people and familiar faces. It's just too bad I didn't have chances to play with the good player but some matches is still enough to make my mind fresh. Well, next week I'll have badminton tournament in Darien, IL. I guess it'll be around Chicago area. That's a good chances for me to visit CCBC (Chicago City Blessing Church). I felt so weak lately, do a lot of bad things on the court. The worst part is of course my weak wrist and waist. I can't do powerful drive with just wrist just like what it supposed to be and weak smash. The worst thing is that I can't move my waist as fast as it needed, it caused a lot of problem especially when your opponent attack the side of your body. Well, 1 week I guessed is good enough to make my body fitter and better to play badminton. Personally I don't have any target in this tournament, I'll play with Handoko and my only wish is that we can perform to our maximum in this tournament :D. Nothing can beat the happiness of giving your best in something, even though you failed in it but you'll satisfies in your heart.

Another thing that I realize, somehow I'm more attached to Purdue lately. The old feeling to transfer over there start to arise in myself again. That's something that contradict myself lately, if I transfer over there probably it'll make my life easier. But, if I have 1001 reasons to transfer to Purdue then there is 1002 reasons for me to stay in Indianapolis since there is something that need to be done in here.

My new bag has arrived :D

2007-09-13T21:53:00.000-04:00

Today, my new bag for my laptop/notebook has arrived :D. I've been expecting new bag especially since my old bag for laptop is broken on the rope connector part so basically I can't bring it anywhere anymore :P. Here is the picture :

indonesia's earthquake

2007-09-13T12:36:00.000-04:00

A powerful earthquake and several aftershocks have struck off the western Indonesian island of Sumatra, sparking fears of a tsunami.

Tsunami alerts were issued for several nations in the Indian Ocean, though some have now been lifted.

Buildings collapsed on the west coast of Sumatra. Hospitals are on alert in case there are significant casualties.

A massive undersea earthquake sparked a tsunami that killed more than 220,000 people in December 2004.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued an alert for the entire Indian Ocean region following Wednesday's main quake, which the US Geological Survey said measured 8.4.

Danger eases

Besides Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and a number of small islands were put on alert. Kenya, on the western rim of the ocean, also raised the alarm.

There were unconfirmed reports of a small tsunami - estimated at 1-3m (3-10ft) hitting the Sumatran coast - but not causing major damage.

But about two hours after the quake, Indonesia's meteorology agency said the danger of a serious tsunami had passed, and Sri Lanka and India also dropped their alerts.

Wednesday's main earthquake struck at 1810 (1110 GMT), about 30km (18 miles) under the sea, some 130km (80 miles) south-west of the city of Bengkulu, the US Geological Survey said.

Local media said buildings had collapsed in Padang, the capital of the province of West Sumatra, and in the town of Mukomuko.

There were also reports of inhabitants fleeing swaying buildings in the capital Jakarta, 600km (370 miles) away, and in Singapore.

"You could see the road as if it was waving, people could hardly walk so they just lay flat on the road. I could also feel the earth I was standing on was like the sea," Zulkifli Lubis, a local journalist in Bengkulu, told the BBC.

Damage

Officials said it was very difficult to get clear communications with the area to make damage assessments.

They are sending disaster teams from the capital Jakarta, fearing that there may be significant casualties, says the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Jakarta.

Officials said at least two people had died and dozens were injured.

But as it is dark, and many of the stricken areas are be remote, it may take some time to find out how bad the situation is.

"At least one person died when he was hit by a falling tree when they were evacuating after the quake," Salamun Haris, an official from North Bengkulu district, told ElShinta radio.

"Dozens of people were injured in damaged buildings" across the district, he said, and hospitals were clearing wards in anticipation of receiving casualties.

Fearful memories

This was one of the most powerful earthquakes in Indonesia since the one which caused the Asian tsunami in 2004.

That measured 8.9 and struck under the sea near the northern Sumatran province of Aceh, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 220,000 people around the rim of the Indian Ocean.

Our correspondent says quakes on this scale are rare and memories of 2004 have made the country terrified of a repeat.

Indonesia, part of the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire", is frequently shaken by earth tremors.

broke my racket

2007-09-11T21:57:00.000-04:00

I have 1 badminton racket that I really seldom use after the incident in Terre Haute tournament. It was my NanoSpeed 7000 that I bought in Jakarta last year. Today, I play as usual (Using Nanospeed 7000) and when I play a double game with Steve suddenly I felt something weird, I miss hit the birdie about 6 times until the score was 6-0. Most of the shot that missed was drive shots. I felt something wrong with me and when it was over I continue smashing to make the score 5-6 for us then I notice something after I miss hit for this time. My Racket's frame is broken on the left side. It makes me wanna cry, this racket is the first racket that I bought and it was very expensive :(. The thing that makes me really sad is that my NanoSpeed 7000 is the old model that was out of production (Yonex start releasing new Nanospeed 7000 model in early 2007). Well, that's the thing that makes me super2 sad. A lot of memory are inside of my racket, especially memory of tournaments where I play with Stephanus. Thanks God I bought it in the official store of Yonex and the one who string my racket is a guy from that store. One thing that I notice is that when I cut the string, the tension of my string is so high, I will guess it is around 27-29 Lbs.As I can recall, it's still under Yonex warranty, so I suppose I can get a replacement when I go back to Indonesia this December. That's life, you won't realize how precious is something until you lost it.

Microwave & Book

2007-09-11T11:56:00.001-04:00

Thanks God for everything :D.Now I can say that after waiting 2 weeks for my text book to come, now the book is sitting in my car waiting to be read by me :D. The second thing that makes me happy is that I just got a new microwave :D. I've told you before in my post that my microwave was broken and it can't heat anything up :(. But today, they decide to change it with a new one instead of fixing the old one since the problem is too much :D.

Otis won a doorprize

2007-09-11T11:53:00.000-04:00

Story

2007-09-11T11:30:00.000-04:00

Orang2 memanggilku "POHON" karena aku sangat baik dalam menggambar pohon.
AKU selalu menggunakan gambar pohon pada sisi kanan sebagai trademark pada semua lukisanku.

AKU telah berpacaran sebanyak 5 kali...

Ada satu wanita yang sangat AKU cintai..
tapi AKU tidak punya keberanian untuk mengatakannya...
Dia tidak cantik..tidak memiliki tubuh yang sexy..
Dia sangat peduli dengan orang lain..
religius tapi..dia hanya wanita biasa saja.
AKU menyukainya..sangat menyukainya..
Gayanya yang innocent dan apa adanya..
kemandiriannya..kepandaiannya dan kekuatannya...
Alasan AKU tidak mengajaknya kencan karena...
AKU merasa dia sangat biasa dan tidak serasi untukku...
AKU takut...jika kami bersama semua perasaan yang indah ini akan hilang...
AKU takut kalau gosip2 yang ada akan menyakitinya...
AKU merasa dia adalah "sahabatku"...
AKU akan memilikinya tiada batasnya...
tidak harus memberikan semuanya hanya untuk dia...

Alasan yang terakhir..membuat dia menemaniku dalam berbagai pergumulan selama 3 tahun ini...
Dia tau AKU mengejar gadis2 lain dan AKU telah membuatnya menangis selama 3 tahun...

Ketika AKU mencium pacarku yang ke-2 terlihat olehnya...
Dia hanya tersenyum dengan berwajah merah..."lanjutkan saja" katanya, setelah itu pergi meninggalkan kami.
Esoknya, matanya bengkak..dan merah...
AKU sengaja tidak mau memikirkan apa yang menyebabkannya menangis...
but AKU tertawa...bercanda dengannya seharian di ruang itu...
Di sudut ruang itu dia menangis...dia tidak tau bahwa AKU kembali untuk mengambil sesuatu yang tertinggal...
Hampir 1 jam kulihat dia menangis disana....
Pacarku yang ke-4 tidak menyukainya. ..
Pernah sekali mereka berdua perang dingin, AKU tau bukan sifatnya untuk memulai perang dingin...
Tapi AKU masih tetap bersama pacarku...
AKU berteriak padanya dan matanya penuh dengan air mata sedih dan kaget...
AKU tidak memikirkan perasaannya dan pergi meninggalkannya bersama pacarku...
Esoknya masih tertawa dan bercanda denganku seperti tidak ada yang terjadi sebelumnya...
AKU tau dia sangat sedih dan kecewa tapi dia tidak tau bahwa sakit hatiku sama buruknya dengan dia...
AKU juga sedih...

Ketika AKU putus dengan pacarku yang ke 5, AKU mengajaknya pergi...
Setelah kencan satu hari itu, AKU mengatakan bahwa ada sesuatu yang ingin kukatakan padanya...
Dia mengatakan bahwa kebetulan sekali bahwa dia juga ingin mengatakan sesuatu padaku...
AKU cerita tentang putusnya AKU dengan pacarku...
Dia berkata bahwa dia sedang memulai suatu hubungan dengan seseorang...
AKU tau pria itu...dia sering mengejarnya selama ini...Pria yang baik, penuh energi dan menarik...

AKU tak bisa memperlihatkan betapa sakit hatiku, AKU hanya tersenyum dan mengucapkan selamat padanya...
Ketika sampai di rumah, sakit hatiku bertambah kuat dan AKU tidak dapat menahannya...
Seperti ada batu yang sangat berat didadaku...AKU tak bisa bernapas dan ingin berteriak namun apa daya...

Air mataku mengalir tak terasa aku menangis karenanya...
Sudah sering AKU melihatnya menangis untuk pria yang mengacuhkan kehadirannya...
Handphoneku bergetar...ternyata ada SMS masuk...SMS itu dikirim 10 hari yang lalu ketika aku sedih dan menangis...
SMS itu berbunyi, "DAUN terbang karena ANGIN bertiup atau karena POHON tidak memintanya untuk tinggal?"

DAUN

AKU suka mengoleksi daun-daun, kenapa?
Karena AKU merasa bahwa DAUN untuk meninggalkan pohon yang selama ini ditinggali membutuhkan banyak kekuatan.

Selama 3 thn AKU dekat dengan seorang pria, bukan sebagai pacar tapi "Sahabat" .
Tapi ketika dia mempunyai pacar untuk yang pertama kalinya...
AKU mempelajari sebuah perasaan yang belum pernah aku pelajari sebelumnya - CEMBURU...
Perasaan di hati ini tidak bisa digambarkan dengan menggunakan Lemon.
Hal itu seperti 100 butir lemon busuk.
Mereka hanya bersama selama 2 bulan...
Ketika mereka putus, AKU menyembunyikan perasaan yang luar biasa gembiranya.
Tapi sebulan kemudian dia bersama seorang gadis lagi...

AKU menyukainya dan AKU tau bahwa dia juga menyukaiku, tapi mengapa dia tidak mau mengatakannya?
Jika dia mencintaiku, mengapa dia tidak memulainya dahulu untuk melangkah?
Ketika dia punya pacar baru lagi, hatiku sedih...
Waktu berjalan dan berjalan, hatiku sedih dan kecewa...

AKU mulai mengira bahwa ini adalah cinta yang bertepuk sebelah tangan...
Tapi..mengapa dia memperlakukanku lebih dari sekedar seorang teman?

Menyukai seseorang sangat menyusahkan hati...AKU tahu kesukaannya... kebiasaannya...
Tapi perasaannya kepadaku tidak pernah bisa diketahui...
Kau tidak mengharapkan AKU seorang wanita untuk mengatakannya bukan ?
Diluar itu, AKU mau tetap disampingnya...memberinya perhatian...menemani...dan mencintainya...
Berharap suatu hari nanti dia akan datang dan mencintaiku...
Hal itu seperti menunggu telephonenya tiap malam...mengharapkan mengirimku SMS...
AKU tau sesibuk apapun dia, pasti meluangkan waktunya untuk ku...
Karena itu, AKU menunggunya...
3 tahun cukup berat untuk kulalui dan AKU mau menyerah...Kadang AKU berpikir untuk tetap menunggu...
Dilema yang menemaniku selama 3 tahun ini...

Akhir tahun ke-3, seorang pria mengejarku...setiap hari dia mengejarku tanpa lelah...
Segala daya upaya telah dilakukan walau seringkali ada penolakan dariku...
AKU berpikir...apakah aku ingin memberikan ruang kecil di hatiku untuknya ?!..

Dia seperti angin yang hangat dan lembut, mencoba meniup daun untuk terbang dari pohon...
Akhirnya, AKU sadar bahwa AKU tidak ingin memberikan Angin ini ruang yang kecil di hatiku...

AKU tau Angin akan membawa pergi Daun yang lusuh jauh dan ketempat yang lebih baik...
Akhirnya AKU meninggalkan Pohon...tapi Pohon hanya tersenyum dan tidak memintaku untuk tinggal...
AKU sangat sedih memandangnya tersenyum ke arahku...

"DAUN terbang karena ANGIN bertiup atau karena POHON tidak memintanya untuk tinggal?"

ANGIN

AKU menyukai seorang gadis bernama Daun...
karena dia sangat bergantung pada Pohon..jadi aku harus menjadi ANGIN yang kuat...

Angin akan meniup Daun terbang jauh...
Pertama kalinya..AKU melihat seseorang memperhatikan kami...
Ketika itu, dia selalu duduk disana sendirian atau dengan teman2nya memerhatikan Pohon...
Ketika Pohon berbicara dengan gadis2, ada cemburu di matanya...
Ketika Pohon melihat ke arah Daun, ada senyum di matanya...
Memperhatikannya menjadi kebiasaanku... seperti daun yang suka melihat Pohon.
Satu hari saja tak kulihat dia...AKU merasa sangat kehilangan...

Di sudut ruang itu, ku lihat pohon sedang memperhatikan daun...
Air mengalir di mata daun ketika Pohon pergi...
Esoknya...Ku lihat Daun di tempatnya yang biasa, sedang memperhatikan Pohon...
AKU melangkah dan tersenyum padanya...
Kuambil secarik kertas..kutulis dan kuberikan padanya...Dia sangat kaget...

Dia melihat ke arahku, tersenyum dan menerima kertas dariku...
Esoknya...dia datang...menghampiriku dan memberikan kembali kertas itu...
Hati Daun sangat kuat dan Angin tidak bisa meniupnya pergi, hal itu karena Daun tidak mau meninggalkan Pohon.
AKU melihat kearahnya...kuhampiri dengan kata2 itu...
Sangat pelan...dia mulai membuka dirinya dan menerima kehadiranku dan telponku...

AKU tau orang yang dia cintai bukan AKU...tapi AKU akan berusaha agar suatu hari dia menyukaiku...
Selama 4 bln, AKU telah mengucapkan kata Cinta tidak kurang dari 20x kepadanya...
Hampir tiap kali dia mengalihkan pembicaraan...tapi AKU tidak menyerah...
Keputusanku bulat....AKU ingin memilikinya...dan berharap dia akan setuju menjadi pacarku....

Aku bertanya," apa yang kau lakukan?
Kenapa kau tidak pernah membalas?
Mengapa kau selalu membisu?"
Dia berkata, "AKU menengadahkan kepalaku"...

"Ah?" Aku tidak percaya dengan apa yang kudengar...
"Aku menengadahkan kepalaku" dia berteriak...

Kuletakkan telepon......melompat....berlari seribu langkah...ke rumahnya...
Dia membuka pintu bagiku...Ku peluk erat-erat tubuhnya...

"DAUN terbang karena tiupan ANGIN atau karena POHON tidak memintanya untuk tinggal?"

Math class

2007-09-11T04:13:00.000-04:00

Okay, I never thought math class can become so difficult. This semester is the first time I take a math graduate course to fulfill the requirement of my BSMS (Bachelor & Master) ME program. The math class is called engineering mathematics. This class grades was all basically taken from 8 sets of homework and that's all. 1 Homework is suppose to due today and to be honest I can only do 2 out of 20 questions. My schedule for this week is very full, consist of a lot of guest coming: Andri, Martino and Ps Samuel. Well, I really enjoy my weekend taking them to go somewhere or just accompanying them eating in Restaurant. So today I try to do my best and I still can't finish it, just one little prayer so God can do something and I really mean it, anything to save me. The answer is that the professor postponed the due date of homework 1 until next week :D. Thanks God, now is the time for me to work hard and finish the homework :D.

Badminton on sunday

2007-09-10T19:49:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday, one thing make me happy. Edy is back from his trip, it means Sunday will b more alive with sounds of his smash. I take that chance to warm up and play with him (well I play the as his opposites most of the times). He really beat me out really bad, it has been 3 weeks without him and realizing or not my standard in Badminton has become lower. When he was back yesterday, me & Budi really enjoys playing against him. Especially since it has been a long time for somebody to really make us play sport :P. He really make us run and train all of our shots. One thing that make him difference with most of other players that I've seen is that his playing style is so simple but it can changes depends on the opponents, he can know your weakness and expose it throughout the game. The worst part is that although he's not tricky but he is really consistent. Most of us can't play consistently because it was really hard to keep focus throughout the game. I felt both of my leg really and wrist soar so much, plus all of the bruises from trying to dive to reach the shuttle. After the game, me & 2 budi (one from Muncie and one from St Louis) talk about how we play badminton. One lesson I learn is that sometimes we're lazy to train until somebody beat us up really bad and it makes us train really hard to not get beaten again. Thanks God there is a high standard in Indianapolis Badminton named Edy, with him being there itself really pump ourselves to raise our games plus he's a guy who isn't hesitate to give us advice when we make mistakes. Next week I want to felt more tired :D!!

Ps Chris leaving

2007-09-10T19:40:00.001-04:00

After 3 years doing his ministries in LCBC, now it comes the time for us to say goodbye for Pastor Chris and Cie Lidya. Today, they left US to continue their ministries in Indonesia (Yogyakarta specifically). They have left a lot of good and bad memories, right now it's all mixed together. One thing that I can't remember is my first impression for Pastor Chris, so"jayus". I never expect that I'll meet him more often and know him after our first meeting. But I never regret that chance to know him as my Pastor and all of the lessons (not just how to menjayus) that I've learned from him. I believe one days that we'll meet again and as I said in prayer, I believe one day when we meet again, we'll see the name of the Lord more glorified in our works. Thanks for everything Pastor Chris and Cie Lydia + Nadia too. The fact that they're leaving makes us really sad, especially now LCBC will have no pastor, but it was a comfort hearing that Chicago people will help us and ko Kiem Liong will spend more of his time preaching in Lafayette (not that because he is more jayus comfort me okay :P). This is life, more burden on our shoulder too glorify God's name in West Lafayette and Bloomington's church. Right now, I just want to enjoy my life in everything I do for God.

attitude

2007-09-10T19:37:00.000-04:00

What's make me admire Taufik Hidayat ? As you can see in the clip it's not about his technique but it was his ability to hide his expression. He can be so calm even after he make mistakes or success. Sometimes I get carried away easily and angry at people, well but I really hope that God helps me in fixing my emotions problem through the time.

LCBC welcoming service

2007-09-10T19:25:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday, LCBC just have their welcoming service. It was an excellent welcoming service and to be honest it was totally different format than last year. The most significant difference that you can see is that right now they use English all the time instead of Indonesian. I like the food especially the chicken but too bad it run out really fast since I'm not the one who thinks it was delicious :D. The drama is really good and the dances performs by them is really nice. Well that's not the important thing, the messages from the welcoming services is new beginning. So we expect a new beginning for this semester, not just for the freshman but for the oldies like me who already spent 2 years in college). We need new spirit and strength to perform our best :D.

One thing that I really enjoyed is that on Friday night, Martino from St Louis visits us. it's just too bad that he can't make it to the care group meeting but at least he can make it already make us happy. Originally, he intended to come to the care group meeting and LCBC welcoming service. One thing that I always remember is that on Saturday night when we go back home to Indianapolis, he shared a lot of things. Especially tips to get girlfriend, that's important :P, JK. Well, even after we drop Andre & Ivan, we still sharing until 4 o'clock in the morning. Personally I learned a lot of things from him since we're almost in the same condition. I admired his patience and high standard in lifestyle :D. It's always nice to have brothers in Christ especially the close one. It feels like you have places to release your burden, to tell a lot of things and difficulties and they can come with a really good advice too. Right now I just have Ivan as a reliable one although he was really "jayus" most of the time :P. I really enjoy the talk and thanks God we still able to make it to the Lakeview church service at 11 AM :D.

Ps Samuel visit

2007-09-10T18:47:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, we had Pastor Samuel from Indonesia as our preacher in the care group meeting. The number is more than what I expect :D. Even Budi who are from Muncie, IN come along the way to hear Pastor Samuel's preaching. For those of you who don't know, I include his you tube slide (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Z447sRw2KEw) on the invitation. It was really interesting since I need to pick him up from the airport on Thursday night and there is some little miscommunication between me and Pastor Chris about his departure date in Indianapolis. Thanks God, I'm reading his text message on time so I can go directly to the airport to pick him up (he use Indonesia number, so he can't make any call, just text message). He's a really humble guy and so simple, I learn a lot when we're (me & Wennie & him) take a trip to see Indianapolis downtown. He also helped me in changing my computer memory :d, now my computer memory is 2 GB. It was much2 faster than what it used to be. The most important thing is that he also installed a lot of important programs in my computer :D. Now my computer is like new since I reinstalled my computer with black XP professional edition (which is surprisingly has similar looks like Vista) and it works really fast :D.Back to topic, I almost once again drive crazy since we're almost behind schedule, well I learned something about not being do everything in a big group since it'll be hard to organize each individuals. Maybe I'll break up into smaller group when we do something so it'll be quicker just like when we do trip to New York :D. So the point from Pastor Samuel preaching last Friday is: The thing that we need if a heart to understand the Lord it's not that we want the Lord to understand us all the time, it's all about Him and not about us. So we must have 2 kind of attitude, they're Maria and Martha's attitude.

Luke 10:38-40, in here as it is written there are 2 kind of attitudes. The first one is Martha who is busy preparing everything, this kind of people works really hard to pleasure his guest and also have a big generosity since Bethany was a really poor village whose life depends 100% on God's word (that's one of the reason Bethany became Jesus favorite's spot on earth beside Mount of Olives). The second one is Mary who likes to spend time on Jesus feet. Just sitting there, listening what God's said. We need both of those attitudes, a lot of people have Martha's heart but most people didn't have Mary's heart, a heart that longing to just stay close and listen to the Lord (This is crucial).
If we see how both of this attitudes have a big difference in Jesus reaction as in John 11:17-33. You can see that both Mary and Martha reaction was exactly the same, both of them said the same words from their heart. But see Jesus reaction, when Martha said that it result in Jesus lecturing her before he take action. But take a good look at Jesus reaction on verse 32-33. Jesus didn't said anything when Mary felt down to Jesus feet and weeping, Jesus heart was moved and he took action immediately in the following story. That's our mistakes most of the times that we don't realize. A lot of times we lift a lot of unimportant prayer. Our God is our father too, he knows our need more than we. Without we say out loud in prayer, He already prepared it for us. But if we only have heart like Martha, you know the result. But if we have heart like Mary who just sit in the feet of the Lord and listening to Him. He'll take action immediately.

That's a little summary about Pastor Samuel preaching last Friday. personally I feel really blessed and it's like God answering my prayer, For long time I already felt that I have lift up a lot of unimportant prayer but thanks God it shaped me until what I am today :D.Well, here is some picture after the care group:

(We'll have Hery do the photoshop to do the photoshop to make it brighter :P. Too bad Livita you can't make it but all the best int he work place)

letter

2007-09-07T09:19:00.000-04:00

Recently I just have a bad experience with Authorized Toyota dealer, this is the letter I send to them:

Hi,

My name is Gerhard Novianto and I just had a bad experience using your service center (Tom Wood Toyota). At first I came at Saturday September 1st since I need to change 2 of my front tires and my check engine light is on. After I arrived there I decided to do the 75,000 Miles service for my Toyota Corolla CE 2003. The name of the person who helped me is Han. Then he said that everything will be done in 2 hours. So I wait for him in the waiting room and after he returned my car, I'm so surprised that you finish all of that in 1.5 hours. After I turn on the engine, I realize that the check engine light still on, then I said to him and he take the car back then after 5-10 minutes he give my car back and the check engine light is off right now. I paid for changing one of my rim, 2 tires and 75,000 miles. After I drive for a while, I stop to buy something then I realized that on the rear right tire, the thing that hold the air for the tire is missing and the air is coming out. So I come back to the service center and talk to him, then he replaced it with the new one. I asked him whether it'll affect the air pressure or not and he said no. After driving for 1 hours, the check engine light is on again. I was so disappointed, then after I arrived at home I realize one thing, the new tire is bigger than the rear one and the rear back tire is losing air so it was almost flat/running out of air. I'm more disappointed after that since nobody told me that the front tire is bigger than the rear tire. More over, nobody told me the risk of having this thing. Well For Your Information, it can caused my car to slip over if I'm going uphill since my car isn't balance. I'm in angry condition hoping for an explanation and I just realized that Monday is labor day so I have to wait for Tuesday. I have a class at 9 o'clock on Tuesday (September 4th), so I'm hoping I can settled this problem. Well, I'm not looking for something but responsibility. So I talk with the manager in Tuesday morning, I ask him about my car condition and he just take my problem lightly and said, oh the rear tire is smaller because it's been overused and there's no way it can caused any accident. Okay, I'm very surprised to hear this answer from this manager since this is my life we're talking about and as far as I know, Toyota is one of the best car that also care about car safety and your service center being authorized means you have safety standard. When I ask why your guy didn't told me on Saturday ? He said because nothing wrong with this. Okay, I'm more disappointed with this answer. Then I talk about the check engine light that was on again, he just said we'll take care of that. No good response, from the service center manager . I feel a little bit discriminated since I'm Asian, but I don't want to take this discrimination problem deeply. All I want is a word sorry or some responsibility but I didn't get it. Since your service manager didn't give me any option and I'm very busy with my school (I'm a Mechanical engineering junior at IUPUI) so I decide to change the rear tires too (I'm concern with my safety here). So after I give explanation what I want them to do I go to school with your help. At 10 o'clock, I received a phone call that they need to replace oxygen censor in my car and I have to pay additional $40 for the checkup. I'm asking Han (The same guy who help me last Saturday) why don't he tell me on Saturday to do this kind of thing and why I need to pay for another check up (since on the board of explanation of 75,000 miles there's a lot of checkup you're doing to my car)? But I don't remember that he give any good answers. He just ask whether I want to do it or not, since I was busy at that time I just said yes. Well, Han promised me that my car will be ready by 11:45 so I said I'll pick it up now instead of at 3 o'clock. Then I'm waiting for his call and he just called me back at 12:15. Probably 30 minutes doesn't look too long but I have a class at 1 o'clock so it affect me a lot. So I take my car back since I don;t have any option.

That's my experience using your service center and it'll be the last time I'm using your service center. I also won't give any recommendation to both of your dealer and service center to another international students (I'm a mentor at IUPUI international service).

So no you know why I was so pissed of on last Saturday :P.

irritating

2007-09-06T11:51:00.000-04:00

2 weeks ago I bought 3 books from half.com. The thing is 2 books already arrived since last week but there is one book for ME 330 class that hasn't come yet. To be honest it really irritates me and makes me wanna shout at the seller :P. Anyway, I need to stay clam :P. It's like a test of patience but I really need the book now !!!!

sudoku

2007-09-06T00:20:00.000-04:00

This picture was really funny, I get it from Andrew Lee's blog and it reminds me those old days when I work in Math Assistance Center on Friday and when there is no customers. Me and my colleagues will play sudoku using the whiteboard provided in our workplace:

Can you solve it ? (click to make it larger)

bath tub

2007-09-06T00:17:00.000-04:00

well, today I found something like cockroach in my bath tub :(. It was more like insect from outside of my apt and I just killed it then throw it away and washed my bathtub. Well, that's one of the reason I don't like summer because those insect keep coming from anywhere.

Accomplished dream

2007-09-05T23:38:00.000-04:00

Before, I already talked about my dream that I want to accomplish but once again I have to thank God for everything that he already given to me :D. So I want to share 1 experience, I have a dream since 3 years ago that one day I want to see Benny Hinn preaching live. I have heard about his story, about his ministries, how God work in his ministries where there's a lot of healing. Last year, I also bought his books titled Good Morning Holy Spirit which was some about his biography and some about his encounter with Holy Spirit. I never asked this to God in any of my prayer but I keep this inside of my heart. 3 years has been passed by without I realizing it, the closest one that I've been heard about his ministries is about 1.5 years ago where he was preaching in Jakarta (Indonesia). It was really great when I saw the clips on his website. So back to topic, in the end of last summer one, I read that Benny Hinn is going to preach in linch church on South Bend, IN about 1 week before the school start. Without any hesitation I changed my New York Trip plan into a shorter trip since I want to attend it. Okay, driving from New York is very tiring since I'm the one who do most of the driving and most people fell asleep when I'm driving. To be honest, driving 12 hours is really fun !!! Then after talking with Ivan + Otiz + Pamelia, they decide to come along, oh boy I just realize that I need to use US 31 North for 3 hours to go to the South Bend, IN. We arrived over there around 20 to 5. The event start at 7 o'clock and I already find people waiting in front of the church. I saw a lot of sick people waiting in the row. Okay then, since I have soar throat on that day, I asked them to wait while I bought some water from gas station. After I came back to the church, the number of people has been increased a lot (it was only 20 minutes difference). Thanks God, Otis and Pamelia are still in the front so we don't need to wait in the back. While we're waiting, there's some people praying in group for His presence during the whole event. It was really inspiring to watch native American people praying since they're always so serious and sometimes they shout when they response to the prayer. Well, what can I say since we're Asian tends to less responsive than them, they're really serious and not ashamed to say Amen even though it was in the public. Then I said to Ivan and the others, if you have a chance run and go inside, try to find the most front seat you can find and hold for the other people. At 6:45, they open the gate and we're trying to pass some old people in the row and thanks God we seat about 4 seats from the most front. Thanks God for that, the event start with music team from Linc church, I must say that they're impressive especially on the song "Now that You're near". So finally the one that I'm waiting for shows up Pastor Benny Hinn. He start his service in unique way, he always invite Holy Spirit to come and fill the whole space. They said he never change the song or this methods since the beginning of his ministries. After that he talks about his experience being invited by middle east countries to preach over there :D. Then most of his subject was about Holy Spirit, who he was ? What is his goal ? And many other things. The was he explain it was really I can't say, he talks as if Holy Spirit was his best friend and it was true indeed. I never meet this kind of preacher whose life start to change 100% because of Holy Spirit alone and how Holy Spirit lead him to know about Jesus everyday. Well, I stand in awe listening to him and open my mind + heart to God. Well when he was about to finish, I asked Ivan what time is it and it was like 10:15. I was like, Oh my God time flies so fast :D. I didn't even realize he already talks for 2 hours :D. It feels like he only talk for 20 minutes. Then in the final, he start to pray and sing a song, then all of sudden there's a lot of healing happen without he need to put his hand on the people or what. After that he start to called those people who feels that they receive healing to testify in the front. The feeling is totally different with those that you watch in TV, you can see those people who receives hope, their faces expression that shows how grateful they are. For some of them that night is their last hope. Pastor Benny even said that he didn't expect that there will be any healing happens on that night since he was only a guest speaker not on crusade mission. Well, this one is a memorable night, after the service done, we want to go back but the rain was really heavy. Some people pray in the front doors and I said to the the rest, let's just wait inside for 1 hour. Then God really shows to us that He is a God who listen to His children. The rain become really2 light, thanks God for that. But the problems isn't over, I was really tired and suddenly in the middle the rain become heavy again and apparently there is a thunderstorm around us. I just said 1 little prayer, God protect us and we sing the song "My Redeemer lives" Wah, that song is really powerful but our God is more powerful, even though I can only see about 1 meter in front but I feel really safe and after we drive for 1.5 hours (avoiding a lot of accident and thunderstorm), the rain totally stop and thanks God for that :D. All of us arrive at home in safe condition :D.

Small things

2007-09-05T23:16:00.000-04:00

When I made this new blog, only one thing was inside of my head. I knew that we're small compare to the million of peoples out there, we're also not the best person in this world. But God created us unique in our own way. Every time I wake up in the morning I always expect to meet new people on or off campus, all of them are not the same. Each of them has something that make their selves unique, that's why I said to Ivan "Actually there aren't any ugly people in this world, the only thing that make people think other people is ugly is that because each person must have something different in the physical appearance and not all people can accept it. That's why some people calls other people not pretty :D" Back to topic, so I'm thinking that our own unique is what change this world. What if you are a really nice person then you help someone who needs help ? Without you realizing it, you already affecting other people. The same thing goes if you do bad things to other people, it'll effect other people. Then the question is what that other people will do after it get effected by you ? They'll effect other people too and your action is one of the factors of their action. If you see it through a bigger point of view, then you realize that it was like a chain of reaction. That's why I put that title in my blog, small things can make a big difference. I realize that big chances I can't meet all of you faces to faces but I only hope that this small writing on my blog can give some impact on your life about my point of view :D.

GBU always

grading job

2007-09-05T22:13:00.000-04:00

Okay, today I meet with Dr Miller. One of the math professor in IUPUI whom I'm working with this semester. He's a really nice guy and we go through the course syllabus and he explains how soon he needs the assignment and he also understand that sometimes I can't return the assignment in 2 days. So end of talk, then we make a deal. He's a really nice professor, btw the class that I'm grading was M-119 which was calculus for business people. Then I have 2 other professor, the first one is Dr Bart Ng and the second one was Dr Zhen. Dr Ng never reply my e-mail and I don't know why, I always try to meet him on his office but he was never there when I'm coming in, it's just like when I take a class with him. He's a very busy person and only spend probably 1 hour in his office and then teaching. Dr Zhen, he's a very unique person, I send him e-mail once. Then he never reply it, until yesterday he send e-mail back to me and he only said that he already put something on my drop box and expect it to be back tomorrow. Okay, this is serious, he never talk with me and expect me to finish his grading assignment in 2 days. What a professor ? Well, I think I just need to do my job Hehe. But to be honest he makes me work hard this semester especially since his class was a differential equation class. It's not an easy class to grade + I have to consider giving partial credit to the students since I've become a student in that class before and I know the feeling of hoping to get a partial credit.

interesting article

2007-09-05T17:59:00.000-04:00

Drive your car to death, Save $31,000

Saturday, September 1, 2007

provided by

By keeping your car for 15 years, or 225,000 miles of driving, you could save nearly $31,000, according to Consumer Reports magazine. That's compared to the cost of buying an identical model every five years, which is roughly the rate at which most car owners trade in their vehicles.

In its annual national auto survey, the magazine found 6,769 readers who had logged more than 200,000 miles on their cars. Their cars included a 1990 Lexus LS400 with 332,000 miles and a 1994 Ford Ranger pick-up that had gone 488,000 miles.

Calculating the costs involved in buying a new Honda Civic EX every five years for 15 years - including depreciation, taxes, fees and insurance - the magazine estimated it would cost $20,500 more than it would have cost to simply maintain one car for the same period.

Added to that, the magazine factored in $10,300 in interest that could have been earned on that money, assuming a five percent interest rate and a three percent inflation rate, over that time.

The magazine found similar savings with other models.

To have much hope of making it to 200,000 miles, a car has to be well maintained, of course. The magazine recommends several steps to help your car see it through.

Follow the maintenance guide in your owner's manual and make needed repairs promptly.
Use only the recommended types of fluids, including oil and transmission fluids.
Check under the hood regularly. Listen for strange sounds, sniff for odd smells and look for fraying or bulges in pipes or belts. Also, get a vehicle service manual. They're available at most auto parts stores or your dealership.
Clean the car carefully inside and out. This not only helps the car's appearance but can prevent premature rust. Vacuuming the inside also prevents premature carpet wear from sand and grit.
Buy a safe, reliable car. Buying a car with the latest safety equipment makes it more likely you'll feel as safe in your aging car as a newer model.

The magazine recommends several cars that have the best shot at reaching the 200,000 mile mark and a few that, according to its data, aren't likely to make it.

All the cars in the magazine's "Good bets" list are manufactured by Honda and Toyota. (One extreme example was not enough to get the Ford Ranger onto the list.) The "Bad bets" are a mixture of European models and two Nissans.

Consumer Reports' "Good bets" for making 200,000 miles: Honda Civic, Honda CR-V, Honda Element, Lexus ES, Lexus LS, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Prius, Toyota RAV4

Consumer Reports' "Bad bets" for making 200,000 miles: BMW 7-series, Infiniti QX56, Jaguar X-type, V8-powered Mercedes-Benz M-class, Mercedes-Benz SL, Nissan Armada, Nissan Titan, Volkswagen Touareg, V6-powered Volvo XC90.

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Now I'm wondering why don;t they put Toyota corolla over there ?????

really tired

2007-09-05T17:39:00.000-04:00

Okay, I have to admit that three days straight playing badminton really make me super tired. I never imagine that it'll be this tires especially since I'm planning only to play doubles on all of those three days. What can I say ? Everybody ask for single game and I was tempted too since there's a lot of empty courts sitting there. One thing that I know that I'm still young and my body suppose to be regenerates faster but I guess I'm not used to it. It always feels good after you're done doing some sports and feels the sweat in your body + feeling soar on all of your muscle. Well apparently some people don't like it, and I know some but no expose in my blog :P. Anyway, I'm suppose to go to Lafayette again on Friday night after Caregroup since there's badminton club in Purdue and they have the activities on friday 9 PM. Makes me wanna try since I need new experiences, for me it always feel weird when I play on the new court. The most significant thing is that I can't make difference between in and out in the first 20 minutes. Well it'll be fun for sure, some people even say that I was crazy since I come to purdue only to play badminton. Hum, I don't think so :P since I'll meet some people over there and sometimes new people especially since Purdue always have a lot of international students.

car wash

2007-09-03T22:30:00.000-04:00

out of nowhere last night I called Hery and asked him whether I can wash my car in his place on today (Monday) morning or not and he said yes of course. At first I'm planning to come around 9 o'clock but my body is too lazy to move so I'm waiting until 9:30 and then leave. Hum, I arrived in Hery's place around 10 then I have to wait for a while since He need to do some sport in the morning :D. So after 5 minutes he show up and then he said he also want to wash his car :D. what a coincidence. I haven't wash my car for probably 4 months, the reason is simple: I'm too lazy and I keep thinking why do I need to wash my car and then it'll get dirty again anyway since I always pick people up and do grocery shopping. But today I make up my mind and it took me 4 hours to clean the interior + exterior + the tire. It was really tiring but also exciting, hehe. Now my car is clean and shiny :D. the funny thing is that after I'm done cleaning my car Hery asked me "I thought your car is gray or something ?" Well, that's what happen if you don't clean a black car very often :P. Anyway, after that I went to Purdue to meet with my friends since I promised her to play badminton on Monday :D. She plays really good,if she was a boy for sure I'll loss since her technique is more superior. Well she's training in "tangkas" club and it was no wonder since tangkas was one of the top 10 badminton club in Indonesia and it keep producing champions. Then I went for dinner with her and her friends, well I never expected I'll meet a lot of alumni from catholic schools. What can I say, when I'm in junior high school I'm studying in Catholic schools and it was a whole different experience when I'm in Christian school (in senior high school). So the chit chat that happen in the dinner table reminds me of a lot of memory of my junior high school's experience :D. I really enjoyed it since I never have this kind of conversation :D. After that I go to Pastor, Naga and Steven farewell, I came in the right time for Word of encouragement and praying time :D. Thx god for this experience today :D.

song

2007-08-30T12:50:00.000-04:00

This song is one of the top song in K-love and it really inspires me:

Everlasting God
Chris Tomlin

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer

You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer

You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer

You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

dream

2007-08-30T11:49:00.000-04:00

All of us must've been faced this question "What is you dream in life that you haven't fulfilled ?". When I think about the answer for this question, I keep thinking God already grant me almost all of my wish, well except gf and full time engineering jobs but anyway I believe now isn't the appropriate time and both of them won't happen in near future. So I'm thinking what do I really want ? Back to the other night when I played badminton, I talked with Merrell and both of us shared our dreams. We want to watch live professional badminton player performance, it has been my dream to watch Thomas cup live :D. To be honest I really want to watch Thomas cup 2008 since it will be held in Jakarta Indonesia, it also a big chance to watch Indonesia take the Thomas cup back from China and return it's dominance. I always want to feel what it's like to be in stadium wit all of those crazy Indonesia supporter, chants the INA players name, boo ing the opposite players of INA. Well watching it through the TV already makes me super excited :D. I can't imagine what it will be likes when I am in the stadium. I really hope God grants me this wish.

patience

2007-08-28T23:33:00.000-04:00

old people said that God loves patience people. Hum, I never thought of that until today. So here's the story, yesterday I lost my binder which contains syllabus, class notes, GPA for classes that I have taken, study progress and many important stuff :D. So yesterday basically I was like crazy people, keep thinking where did I left it, so I break down into: Starbucks, SL 70Computer Lab and SL110 which was the classroom where the last time I saw my binder. Then I think that if I left it in SL110 then it means that the professor will take it and keep it because it was his habit.

Yesterday night I prayed to God saying to Him with 100% belief that today He'll help me to find my binder and I'll find it. So in the morning, I went to starbucks and talked with starbucks' employee. After I explain my condition, he try to look it and can't find it anywhere but he promised me that he'll ask the manager that was on duty yesterday. The next stop is SL 70 computer lab. The proctor of that computer lab isn't friendly and he just tell me to go to LD 124 which was lost and found place for stuff that was lost in SL 70. After I go to the LD 124, the secretary tell me that there's no binder that was lost in LD 70 yesterday. Wah, this time big doubt start to arise in my head. But I try to keep going and believe.

After I'm done asking people, I went to the class and after that I spent some time to go to wall mart since I need to buy grip for my badminton rackets. After I buy the grip I'm planning to eat in egg roll no 1 since the wall mart was next to the restaurant but the restaurant was closed. It makes me a little bit angry. The problems haven't stop yet, after I'm back in campus I try to find parking space and I want a parking space in SL & LD parking lot since it was the nearest one with my classroom. At first I realize that the parking space was full, I asked God for a parking space, then after I can't find it when I go up to the highest floor, I try to find it when I go down. There's only one car in front of me when I go down and all of sudden there's one guy walk and the car in front of me make a full stop to find out where is this guy parking. Believe it or not, this guy park on the right side in front of the car in front of me. It pissed me a little bit since now I start to think, what if I go first and the car in front of me late. Then this parking space will belong to me. Then I can't find any parking space in this building and I try to turn around and go up again. When I was on the top floor again, one car suddenly broke the stop sign and now I'm behind this one car again. When we go down, the same thing happen again. One guy suddenly walk in front of us and he get out from his car. After that the car in front of me take the parking space. One time is okay but 2nd time really irritates me. Still trying to be patient and get out from this parking lot. I went to ET parking space and really thanks God I can find parking space right after I went to the parking lot :D.

Then back to my binder, I go to the ME department and talk with my professor, he said that he didn't find any binder. It really makes me sad since now I need to print of all of the syllabus and class power point + borrow someone notes again (this happen at approximately in the noon). Then after I take 1 class, it was 2:45 PM, I went home since my next class is at 7:30 PM. Right after I back to my apt, someone called me and ask whether I can help her to pick up her car that she just bought 5 days ago. I said yes and she looks really satisfied and happy with her new car :D. After that I played badminton for a while and then I went to my last class.

Believe it or not, 15 minutes after I'm sitting in the classroom, I notices that there is a binder on the lecturer's table. Then I ask my classmates to pick it up for me. Believe it or not again, it is my binders. Thanks God so much.

Now I understand a little bit about patience. If I was more patience probably I won't spend extra money on printing syllabus (now we have to pay 4 cents/page if we want to print in IUPUI). Well but above all I still want to thanks God.

good article

2007-08-28T13:05:00.000-04:00

sory this post will be in Indonesian :D. There's an interesting article about Christian Hadinata who was a legend in Indonesia badminton, well I really like this guys for it's honesty and he share tips to be sucesfull in teamwork, I quote this from tokohindonesia.com:

"Sekian lama malang melintang di sektor ganda, jelas memiliki resep tertentu yang dipraktikkan di lapangan. Christian menyebutkan, resep sukses bermain di ganda iatu adalah jangan sekali-kali merasa pintar sendiri, merasa lebih bagus dari pasangan. Diakuinya, bagaimana tidak gondok dan mangkel kalau pasangannya melakukan kesalahan melulu. Atau, ada semacam konflik kecil dengan pasangan karena sifat pribadi yang berbeda.

Ia juga senantiasa berusaha menyesuaikan diri dengan pasangannya. Ia pernah berpasangan dengan Liem Swie King dan juga dengan Icuk Sugiarto. King bertipe menyerang, sementara Icuk tipe bertahan. Dengan King, saya hanya memancing-mancing dengan bola-bola lemah sehingga lawan terpaksa mengangkat bola. King yang mengeksekusi. Ia selalu bertanya, pasangan mau main bagaimana? Jangan pasangan yang harus nurut pada saya. Kalau Icuk bertahan, ya, ia angkat-angkat saja bola biar dipukul lawan. Untuk itu, yang penting adalah bisa mengalah. Jangan sok pinter, karena nanti malah kalah. Jika kalah, maka dua-duanya kalah."

Sometimes we (including me) think that we're an expert in doing something but our inability to not listen to our teammates can cause big loos not just to them but to all of the team member.

got new job

2007-08-28T12:54:00.000-04:00

Finally, after 1 semester of just doing school and research I get on campus job :D. Well I enjoy last semester research although I can't really finish it till the end but I learned something from it. This semester I'll work as a grader for math department :D. The good thing is that I'll grade for Dr Ng whom I have known before since I'm taking multivariable calculus class with him a year ago :D. To be honest I prefer to work with Asian professor than American professor, I mean if I can choose since it's easier to communicate with them especially if I have some problem in my work cause by family issue, the professor from Asian will understand that easier. Well I apply for another job in ME department as a grader and tutor for dynamics class. I really hope that I can get this job too since I really like the dynamic topic. Well, right now I don't want to think about that first since I'll have a quiz tommorow (quite fast :D) and I just want to surrender everything to God.

first week of class

2007-08-27T23:02:00.000-04:00

I really enjoyed my class this semester :D. Most of the topics was really interesting, the one that I really like is my design class and second to that is material engineering class the other 3 class that I take is kinda so so because they're like another mathematics class. Well today the professor in my design class explain the process of design to us, start from designing step to manufacturing step and finally to the marketing step. I can say that this class more look like management combine with engineering. Anyway, he gave us example how nowadays engineers is in big demand of making stuff that are cheap, have good quality and easy to market. Well that's people nowadays, the cheaper it is, the faster it is to be sold. For instance, you can see how made in China stuff that actually have low quality (compare to made in Europe :D) but because they're cheap a lot of people will buy it. But if you want a better quality product, there's a problem where the manufacturing will be difficult, therefore this kind of stuff will be really expensive and you can't produce as much as lower quality stuff since higher quality means more details. This conversation reminds me of us that was actually are God hand made :D and when God made us, He make sure that His creation was perfect just like Him and He gave us one chance for us to design our own self and this chance known as life. But what do we do ? We're created perfect but sometimes we want fast result without realizing the effect on our attitude (like made in China stuff :P, well no offense). It all happens because we don't want to pay the high cost of manufacturing. We can design our own self by making a goal like become closer God or gaining a good GPA or get a good couple. But because we don't want to pay the expensive price such as sacrificing our time for devotion to Jesus, study hard or waiting for the right time and the right people, we didn't get a good products or results in our life. If all we want in this life is easy life then our quality won't become as good as those who pay higher price. For instance, if you look at a glance Made in China Luis Vuitton with the real one then it will look the same. but if you look carefully then it has a big difference :D. Let's pay high price to obtain a better quality :D.

Well, I never meant to offend made in China stuff and I never said never buy it :P.

Debora is leaving

2007-08-23T23:00:00.000-04:00

From left to right: Poni, Selly, Debora During their graduation (May 06)

It has been 1 year since those people in the picture graduated from IUPUI. But I still remember them in my memory and it was as if yesterday was the first day I met Poni and Debora in Saigon. It was also still fresh in my memory the first day I met Selly in Caregroup. Without realizing it, 1 years has passed by. What can I say ? Debora has left US for good and she won't come back anytime soon, it makes me sad since right now I'm the second longest Indonesian who stay in Indianapolis in CaPLoG. InC after Hery. Seeing new people coming in to IUPUI especially reminds me the first day I came here without knowing anything and when I help them out to go grocery shopping or to the mall reminds me of the first Saturday when Selly + Stephanus asked me and Jessy going to the fashions mall. Last Summer camp, although I didn't make it, when I asked people to coming there reminds me of how Debora promoted the summer camp to me last year. I also still remember when I was so excited waiting for every Friday where I just keep following CaPLoG. InC activities each Friday without knowing who will preach or what is the topic or wheter this Friday will be a free Caregroup or not. Those days has passed by, it was me right now who make decisions and trying to understand what God's will and apply it. Although it was the second time I say farewell to Debora, I still feel something odd happening. It's like I was saying to God, no please don't take her away. I still need her advise and I need someone (although that person didn't do anything) to look up to so I can feel everything will be alright. It was so sad when I heard mei2 isn't going to extend her present in US but one thing that I know, God's plan was the best for all of us. Even though she's already in San Diego but I still feel really sad when she leaves for Indonesia, it means more barrier to communicate with her since Internet connection in Indonesia was so bad especially in Surabaya (This is just joking :P don't take it seriously). So I'm not sure whether she'll be online again in MSN or not. Maybe most of the times I never show respect to her but inside of me I know that I can learn a lot of thing from her. So I just can say farewell Debora and wish you all the best in the new places !!!!

Chicago Trip

2007-08-23T22:46:00.000-04:00

The picture from previous post was all taken during my Chicago trip last semester :D. What can I say, I was really thankful for Ci Tan Fie generosity since she let me to stay in her house and I was really lucky to have a chance to meet with Pastor Sofjan Sutedja from Abbalove church. I learned so much from hearing their conversation and I feel blessed when I heard the sermon from Pastor Sofjan. I visited their church when I go back in Indonesia in May 2006 since my junior and ex college in Student organization keep insisting me to visit her and her church. I came only once and it was a really great experiences :D. Most of the pictures was taken from Billy Graham Center or museum, this place was really wonderful and inspires me to become a better person. One thing that still makes me amaze that although Billy Graham was a really famous preacher, yet his message was very simple, it only revolves around John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. It makes me realize that we don't need any complicated message to talk for other people but we just need simple words, strong will that was led by Holy Spirit and the most important attribute was loving the sinners + trying to understand them :D.

My own Church

2007-08-23T22:44:00.002-04:00

Billy Graham Center

2007-08-23T22:44:00.001-04:00

on raptured day JK

2007-08-23T22:44:00.000-04:00

at the cross

2007-08-23T22:43:00.001-04:00

Text on floor: John 3:16

2007-08-23T22:43:00.000-04:00

Picture from New York

2007-08-23T22:23:00.000-04:00

In the previous post I just upload all of my picture from NY trip. As you can see during the whole trip I wear a very usual clothes :P. I'm doing that because we stayed down in New Jersey and we have to use the Subway in New York very often, people said good looking clothes isn't a good thing to wear especially since the subway was full of homeless people. Hey, no offense but I heard a lot of bad things happen in the Subway and some people said it was pretty dangerous. So I decided to use a very bad clothes to not attract any attention. Thanks God 4 everything since we can do the whole trip and came back in safe condition :D. To be honest I do a really quick plan and everything was planned in last minutes. I just can say thanks God for His goodness since we still can get a good places to stay and generosity from Poni who was willing to help printing MapQuest from her apartment and accompanying us for lunch. Too bad that I left my cell phone purposely since I don't want anyone including my boss in Office of International Affair to disturb me with any business of new students :P. I just want holiday after 1 hectic year of study. One thing that I regret from this trip is only 1 thing, I pushed my body to the maximum including driving 12 hours from Washington to Indianapolis but thanks to Ivan who make my life easier since he helped me to drive for 2 hours. A lot of good stories can be tell and I just can said that this trip will be in my memory for sure especially the condition of Chinatown in New York that exactly the same as condition of Chinese market in Jakarta. Finally I really want to thanks God for restoring my health after the NY trip since I felt sick and losing my voices caused I'm too tired and too much MSG :P. Let the pictures tell it own story then :D.

There's a truck that want to hit me :P

2007-08-23T22:21:00.000-04:00

Jefferson Statue

2007-08-23T22:20:00.002-04:00

White House

2007-08-23T22:20:00.001-04:00

Pond of WW II Memorial

2007-08-23T22:20:00.000-04:00

World War II Memorial

2007-08-23T22:19:00.002-04:00

another picture in Washington

2007-08-23T22:19:00.001-04:00

Lincoln Statue

2007-08-23T22:19:00.000-04:00

Signbord in Washington

2007-08-23T22:18:00.001-04:00

in Washington

2007-08-23T22:18:00.000-04:00

Manhattan Bridge

2007-08-23T22:17:00.002-04:00

Manhattan

2007-08-23T22:17:00.001-04:00

Statue of Liberty

2007-08-23T22:17:00.000-04:00

Madison Square With Otis

2007-08-23T22:16:00.001-04:00

Madison Square Garden

2007-08-23T22:16:00.000-04:00

Liberty Bells

2007-08-23T22:15:00.001-04:00

Philadelphia Downtown

2007-08-23T22:15:00.000-04:00

old memories

2007-08-23T11:11:00.000-04:00

Last time when I heard this song was probably 5-7 years ago. Do any of you remember this song ?

Badminton World Championship

2007-08-23T02:41:00.001-04:00

It's a pleasure for me and also a precious moment for me to watch the final of badminton world championship 2007 especially when my countrymen delivers 2 gold out of 5 gold that was available. Yes, Indonesia won in Men doubles (represented by Markid Kido/Hendra Setiawan) and Mixed doubles (represented by Nova Widianto and Lyliana Natsir). It just too bad that INA Can;t win in Men singles discipline since China was just simply too strong in this field. I felt so happy especially since this winning become a present for our country's birthday that was celebrated on 17th August. One thing that I like from badminton is just that this was the only sport where Indonesia can talk in international level and this is the only sport that can delivers gold in Olympics games. This winning taste really good especially after Indonesia bad performance in any tournaments except Sudirman Cup since the beginning of this year and I really hope that INA players can do much better in Beijing Summer Olympic 2008 next year and can continue the Olympics' gold medal tradition. Well sometimes I was so sad because the fact that Indonesia was the 4th biggest country in the world and the only sports that was success was only badminton. The talent pool in Indonesia was to be honest a lot in any sports, I really hope in the future we can become something in front of the international community and one of the key I believe is by success in Olympics first since sports has always attract many people to watch especially when it comes to Olympics since it was only once every 4 years.

finally I got my ticket

2007-08-23T02:07:00.000-04:00

After weeks of waiting for final decision and find the perfect price for airplane's ticket to go back to Indonesia during winter break, I got the tickets. My father has pushed me many times to use JAL instead of China Airlines since people said JAL stopped by in Narita for 1 night and they gave us Hotel room too and my father wants me to look around in Tokyo so my eyes was opened :D. I'm not a big fan of going to big cities but I'm thinking to take my father's advice since he must've known better than me about places to see in this world (FYI my father was a marketing director or manager I forgot :P and traveled has been part of his life so basically he knows a lot o good place in Indonesia, Europe and Asia). My flight leaves from O hare Airport (Chicago) at 14 December and I'll return to US at 6 February. I really thanks God for this chance to go back to my home country this year, the ticket price and also since I'm not going to go back alone like last time (Ivan and Rika probably will use the same flight with me).

First day of school

2007-08-23T01:58:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

I just decide to move out my blog to a new place so here is my first post :D. Today was my first day of school. It's very exciting since I can meet a lot of faces that I didn't see during the summer. The most interesting part is of course when I entered my ME class, the effect of not taking any ME class for 3 months really affect a lot on me. I feel really shaky especially since I'm entering my junior-senior year in IUPUI (yup only 2 more years and I'm done in IUPUI) and the class is more challenging. The most interesting part is when I get 1 unexpected professor, I don't know why the ME department do a last minute changing for my design class' professor. The one who supposed to teach was Dr El-Mounyari who was my advisor too :D, but they change to Dr Wang. To be honest he's a really nice and funny guy but it was so hard to catch up with his accent. Oh well I think I just need to make some new adjustment then. New semester means new challenge and one thing that I can't wait is to see how God is going to work in CaPLoG.InC and my life :D. I planned to do something different this semester for each meeting and make it more interesting and mature (since we got patricia and probably some new people).

Today, pastor called me and asked me to accompanying him and his friend who just came from Indiana last week since they'll visit Indianapolis tomorrow ( I guess they need alive GPS who don't just know about direction but place to visit and eat :P).