Woollylifestock: Down with the flu, sermon-writing and a miracle

Not too bad a flu ~ thank God. At least the Clarinase I took was able to keep the sniffles under control.

However, I've been feeling rather poorly since yesterday evening... and this calls for more rest, which is going to be hard considering all the work I've got to complete. But, I guess resting is the most sensible thing to do. Don't think I'll skip classes tomorrow. (Am rather proud of myself for dragging myself out of bed and all the way to school this morning. Not proud of myself for guzzling down the coffee though.) I will be better tomorrow, hopefully.

I've begun writing my Psalm 8 sermon since yesterday night. While I am not that excited to preach it next week (visualizing it now gives me stage-fright already), I am quite excited about getting my sermon done because I am enjoying myself writing it. I won't say that I am very good at this ~ but there is something very therapeutic and powerful (for myself) about formulating my background studies on a particular passage into a concise yet wholesome sermon through which God will speak to the target audience. Perhaps, the whole process of sermon-writing provides me the moments, substance and space to encounter God as well as respond to His divine initiatives. (I'm just applying what I learned from sacramental theology today!) *Gasps* And if so, sermon-writing is somewhat sacramental to me! :D Cheh-wah...

Yeah ~ I don't think you'd catch me saying things like that a few years back.

One of the little girls I have been teaching (in fact, she was my very first student at Faith MA) really made my day yesterday. She was telling me very happily how she practices piano every day; she would make sure that she practices her song 10 times (now, I didn't ask her to do that; neither did her mom)! The funny thing is... this is the girl who used to tell me that she doesn't like music and that she was forced to attend piano classes (from her perspective of course). So when she talked about music so happily, I just had to pop the question (I was bursting with curiosity):

"So... you do like music, don't you?"
She nodded.
I pressed on. "How about piano class? Do you like coming for piano class now?"
"Yes..."
When she said that, I was trying not to appear too joyful and excited.)
"But last time, you said that you didn't like piano class..." *laughed*
She smiled. "I like music... I like piano... but I like piano class now because I can do theory. I LOVE theory!"

Haha. Strange child. She's about 6, btw. But wow, what a miracle! Glory be unto the Lord! Perhaps the thing I fear the most as a piano teacher is that I would turn my students off music or make them bored (since I can be rather serious at times). It is one thing to be a musician myself - but it is another thing to teach music... and teach music with passion too. This is indeed God's way of affirming me, showing me His grace and power, as well as spurring me on to attempt bigger things/better my attitude towards things/improve my teaching skills/etc.

I gave the girl 2 stickers at the end of our class yesterday ~ for being so encouraging! :P

Last but not least, let me post the pictures of the nibbles-pack that Rachel got me (for burning midnight oil).