Transatlanticism

Lord i’m crying out for MORE and MORE of You…

The bible speaks about faith, hope and love to all of us who believes in Him. And love is the greatest in this trinity.

No doubt we win this world through our love in actions, words and time. God even spoke about love in his two commandments to His people, to love God and to love your neighbour.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith encompasses Christianity. Without faith, one cannot see the miracles of God. Without faith, one cannot believe in the existence of God. Without faith, one cannot experience the power of God. Without faith, one cannot move in the sensitivity of the holy spirit.

Hope, is the most underestimated element in this trinity. But it is as important as faith and love. Without hope, one cannot reach his purpose and destiny. Without hope, one cannot live a life of fulfillment and meaning. Without hope, this world will be surrounded by darkness. People like to hear a message of hope in their lives. The hope that they can relate and connect to, to make their lives for the better. Hope is a very powerful thing. Hope makes you believe, hope gives you strength to walk through the valleys, hope changes your outlook in life.

Martin Luther King Jr once said, everything that is done in this world is done through hope. 

Give me the power not just to have faith in God, to love God and others, but hope for this destiny you have installed.

An unjust God is better than an indifferent one. - Elie Wiesel (Holocaust survivor, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 1986, Author of Night)

Why did Franklin Roosevelt, who was considered a good man, a man who represented freedom, sent the 1000 escaping Jews back into Adolf Hitler’s hands?

Why did America continue to do business with Germany under the Hitler’s regime when they were aggressively invading foreign lands?

Why did America stay silent until the attack on Pearl Harbour?

It is better for a man to stand up, speak up and defend his convictions than to remain silent. It is better to wrong than to remain silent. For when you remain silent, you are the friend of the enemy - whom is the aggressor. You are no different (indifferent) to the aggressor.

Write the vision and make it plain on tablets.

That he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed TIME;

But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.

Though it tarries, wait for it; 

Because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

When you want it the most there’s no easy way out
When you’re ready to go and your heart’s left in doubt
Don’t give up on your faith
Love comes to those who believe it
And that’s the way it is

It is pretty amazing that many football experts, pundits, journalists, commentators regard Steven Gerrard as one of the most influential english players of all time. England has seen so many talented players in the recent times. 

Players like David Platt, Paul Gascoigne, Paul Ince, Darren Anderton and Steve McManaman dominated the era of 90s. Since then, English has produced the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard. Going a little back, there is still a Bryan Robson to count on.

But the positional sense is still the biggest missing jigsaw piece in Gerrard’s game today. He has been played under many roles by his managers. And up till today, many are still guessing, what exactly is his best position?

Andrea Pirlo rose to prominence when he found his favourite position in the deep lying midfield position. A position where he sits in front of the back four, and playmakes from within his own half by sending diagonal long balls to the wingers or precise through passes down the middle. Matthias Sammer or Lothar Matthaus found their influences on the game by creating the sweeper role in football.

If England wants to win this major championship, they have to find Gerrard’s best position. Judging by current form, Scott Parker looks a good player to sit in the middle of the back four to protect the defence, but will the international stage too big for him when he faces players like Ribery, Xavi, Iniesta, Oezil just to name a few? 

Jack Wilshere is another emerging talents. Youth and experience are always a good mix to create the winning team. But will this tournament be too soon for him to rise to the occasion? Will he has the mental capability to carry the weight of this team? Michael Owen did it in France 98.

Ashley Young looks set to claim a starting place in one of the wings, with the left sided of the midfield the higher probability where he occupies for Manchester United. But will he be good enough and produce the goods when the world set their eyes on his feet? He has done very well domestically, but will his class be subdued internationally?

Theo Walcott and Aaron Lennon are quick players. But often, consistency has been raised as question over their games. Their pace and quick feet and always a weapon against any teams, but under tight man-marking, will they have the tactical awareness and all round game ability to contribute elsewhere in the pitch? Are they good at tracking back to help the attacking fullbacks which England will most probably find in Glen Johnson/Kyle Walker/Micah Richards?

James Milner, Frank Lampard, Adam Johnson, Gareth Barry will be great covers in this team. 

On paper, Spain looks like they have the strongest in their midfield. Boasting the likes of Xavi, Alonso, Iniesta, Busquets, Fabregas, Silva, Thiago, Jesus Navas and many more. But their defence is a question. Their left back is traditionally their weakest link, which is currently occupied by the inexperienced Alba from Valencia. Puyol and Marchena are getting old and the question will be who is strong and quick enough to partner Pique? Will shifting Ramos from a fullback position to partner him be a good idea? Will his attacking qualities go down the drain by enfocing him into this role?

Germany looks strong. And they should be favourites in this competition. Germans just know how to win big in major competitions. They are strong tactically, experienced, strong, quick, disciplined and is coached by one of the greatest coach in Joachim Leow. 

Portugal will always has a hard time with the over-reliance of Cristiano Ronaldo. They have already struggled with the likes of both Rui Costa and Luis Figo in the team. Players such as Meireles, Veloso, Postiga must rise up to the occasion if they will have any chance.

France looks to be a team of transition. Long gone are the days where they can boast the likes of Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps, Michel Platini. Can Jeremy Toulalan be good enough to anchor the midfield? Or perhaps Alou or Lassana Diarra?

Italy will go into the competition with plenty of hopes. But with the likes of Marchisio, Nocerino, Pirlo, they have to be tactically perfected to win the competition. Croatia can surprise them if they are not careful.

If England have any chance of winning, they will have to find the best position of the players they have at their disposal and create a formation to fit them to express themselves. Capello should forget about choosing the formation before placing the players into it. Players before formation.

For current form/experience and with Rooney’s suspension, England’s best chance of winning will be in the formation:

Hart, Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, Walcott, Wilshere, Parker, Young, Gerrard, Bent/Rooney. 

So happy for Isabelle Li and Pang Xue Jie who won the women singles silver and men doubles gold in table tennis at the SEA Games 2011.

Both of them are homegrown players. Glad that STTA did not include just the China-born players in squad. I am a fan of foreign talents but we should always create a leeway for our local talents to achieve their dreams.

Because of our systems, its impossible to have the luxury of hours dedicated to trainings. There is a school to juggle along with always. For Isabelle and Xue Jie, this is simply a great feat in comparison with Feng Tianwei, Sun Beibei who are professionals and trains for much more hours.

Seen people dreams of playing in the team being suffocated because there were just too many players coming from China to boost our level. My friend from China once told me, “In China, 9 out of 10 people you seen in streets play tabletennis. Probably there is even someone on the streets that can even beat the world number 1 Wang Liqin. Just that they did not pursue this sports career professionally’. That’s the depth from such a big country like China.

Pretty encouraged at how i could still find my name on the teamsheet almost every game despite having 3 China players occupying the 7 slots in the starting team. Did have a bit of skills back then and won a few. But more than ten years of sacrifice, hardwork and training. 

A top local athelete once said, ‘I love my sports. But its a commitment to wake up at 7am everyday and appear at the training shortly afterwards’. 

I am pretty convinced, talent alone cant take you to the top. Hardwork is necessary.

Nothing becomes great until two come together.

A leader’s vision will become futile if there is no follower who will champion the vision.

To win and break the record of the 3000m in the olympics game, you need a pacesetter to be running infront of you to help you run to your maximum potential, before the pacesetter will sacrificially dropped out of the last lap. Almost impossible to break the record if there is no pacesetter.

Tim Cook was the man for Steve Jobs because they shared the same vision for Apple. He championed every vision Steve Jobs had for Apple. Before Steve died, he told Tim to run Apple based on what he feels its right, not what he would think Steve Jobs thinks it would be right. He told Tim to follow his inner voice because he knew they shared the same vision for Apple. Steve did not want Apple to end up like Disney. Because when Walt Disney died, all of their employees did what they thought Walt Disney thought he would have wanted and do. And that started the decline of Disney.

Sharing the same vision and heart are so important.

Love is not based on expectations.

Sometimes, it’s easier to love a new person than the person whom you have known for the longest time.

Sometimes, it’s easier to create a chemistry or a good feeling to someone new than to continue loving the person you have chose to love.

Love is a choice. Attraction is not love.

Love is not what you are attracted to. The highest form of love is doing something for the person when you feel tired or you dont feel like to do.

Love is for example getting out of your bed during the night to take care the person who is sick. Love is going out for a movie with the person who is feeling down but yet you have plenty of work left untouched.

In reach is as equally important as outreach. Jesus says that a house that is divided will not stand. We need to continually loving the people around us consistently.

Love is not rude. Tact and tone come together. When you are right but you sound rude, it is still wrong. Love is tactful.

We dont love based on expectations. It’s easier to love the new people because we have lesser expectations from them. We don’t get hurt so much if they make a mistake.

What a powerful sermon on love. As we focus on loving inwards, the outwards will naturally be loved. 

Just some blabbering and i should reflect more on Bishop Bronner’s sermons! 

We can plan our course, but God direct the steps (Proverbs 16:9)

Praying tonight to be in the center of God’s will.

He is faithful.