Approaching the Finish Line

When we talk about a running race, there are different ways to finish the game:
1. Finishing First
2. Finishing but not the first
3. Not finish

Apart from the above, it is also important to know 'how' a person finish the game. Is the person:
1. Finishing Well?
2. Finishing by Cheating?

The best combination that we can get in life, in any event is when when you Finish First and when you Finish Well. However, this position is only granted to one person, and to achieve it, you really need to try really hard. The reward, of course, is that you will be crowned and giving the honors and the medals.

Unfortunately, many people resorted to win the game, and finishing well, but they resort to cheating. Cheating by means that other people do not know. Cheating by cutting corners so that you do not need to run the full circuit. In human eyes, the person who win this race may still be the First, but the person knows that he did not finish well. Most importantly, God knows.

Is Finishing First the first and foremost call for all Christians? Not exactly. We are called to Finishing Well, whether we are the first or we are the last that is not important at all. God wants us to be faithful and to obey him. Some people participated in this race, yet falls along the road, they recover and fall again, recover and fall again, but in the end, they finished the race... it is still a good finish.... but others who fall, and never recover, or never wants to continue the race again... they will never know what awaits them at the finish line.

I am at the 2 weeks before the end of the semester, frankly, I do not know how I am going to survive. I took some time to write this blog, hoping to bring a fresh perspective to my mind.here are my assignments:
1. ST1: Position Paper on Imago Dei (3-5 pages)(20 April)
2. Minor Prophets Exegetical Paper (10-12 pages)(Due 2 weeks time)
3. NT Theology Paper - Pauline : New Perspective on Paul (10-12 pages) (21 April)
4. NT Romans Exegetical Paper: Romans 3:21-28 (10-12 pages) (23 April)
5. ST1: position paper on Doctrine of Salvation (3-5 pages) (4 May)
6. ST1: Research paper (10-12 pages) (11 May)
7. NT Romans: Summary of Arguments on Romans (3 pages)
8. Presbyterian Distinctives: Research Paper (due 30 April)
9. Hebrew Homeworks and 1 Exam

I hope that I can finish all, and finish well... I cannot dream to finish first... but I pray that I have the strength and determination to push through all these...

Last 4 weeks to End of 4th Semester

It is always so much easier to pick up bad habits, then to kick the habits away...
similarly, a good habits need much effort to sustain, and oftentimes they are forgotten...

so it is with writing blogs... a few minutes a day (compared with the time spent on FB)... to reflect and rethink of life (compared to tonnes of time spent without thinking on games).... to refocus and capture the precious moments (compared to the mindless goals in games and discussion forum)

As I read the book "The Road Less Traveled" by Scott Peck, I begin to realize that: YES, indeed, I need to go see a professional psychiatrist. Unfortunately, in Singapore the cost is too expensive, and my church friend who is able to provide me such service, would not be a right counsellor due to the closeness of our ministry. Perhaps, I can only rely on God for the moment :)

one of my life long friend: Roni, commented in my FB, that Suhandy never seemed to be happy. Always a reason to think, discuss, talk... and never really a moment to enjoy life, laugh and perhaps love... It was a real short comment, but it touches very deeply. Not in a hurting way, but in a deep thought-provoking manner. When was the last time I had a good laugh? When was the last time I can enjoy what I am doing, without worrying about things that I have not done?

It all boils down to my own life management. In SBC, I have many things that I have to do, out of obligation to the course. But my nature in doing things is not very correct and productive. I like to enjoy my time, my life, and procrastinate on those other matters. As I have little time left, I need to catch up with assignments, and thus have less time play and enjoy. It all because I started with the wrong step. I chose to enjoy first. IF I had chosen to 'work first' and 'enjoy later' then I will have fun and enjoyment without worries.

Last 4 weeks in 4th Semester, and here are my assignments:
1. Amos Synthetic Paper due today (4-5 pages)
2. Minor Prophets Exegetical Paper (10-12 pages)
3. NT Theology Paper - Pauline (10-12 pages)
4. NT Romans Exegetical Paper: Romans 3:21-28 (10-12 pages)
5. Systematic Theology: 2 position papers (3-5 pages each)
6. Systematic Theology: Research paper (10-12 pages)
7. NT Romans: Summary of Arguments on Romans (3 pages)
8. Hebrew 3 Quizzes and 1 Exam paper

All these are on top of about 100 pages at least that I need to read EVERYDAY... hmm...

This semester is nearing the end, and I can just try to make the best of the current situation. There is no backing out now, except to fully rely on God and really to focus on my studies. I pray that this semester will be a learning experience. I pray and hope that in the future, I will place my first step on : Duty first, so that I can Enjoy later... as the old indonesian proverb used to say: Berakit-rakit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian, or the Chinese proverb: Bitter first, Sweet later..