Saturday, September 27, 2008

Some Things I Could Say About The 23rd Foundation Day in OCGS

Am not really sure what to write or why I have to write this, but here it goes.

First of all, the Foundation Days were on September 24-26, 2008. I didn't know what happened on the 24 & 25th, but all I knew that the variety show was at the 26th at 7PM. I heard they had a dance competition that morning; I thought, "Woah! That's new." Watching the champion & the 1st runner up dancing in that show, I really could say, "Oh, we're old." There were new things happened in the school after we graduated, but this year, the sports were being promoted, music was also promoted for I thought that they had lessons with whatever instruments the students wished to play, but I was not sure. However, there was one solo performance by a student; he played Canon in D on the guitar. After that, I didn't expect that the English part of the variety show was short; being featured were only the Glee Club (they improved really, and some students played the instruments), the champion & 1st runner up of the dance competition, and that solo performance. Those were all. Though the Chinese part was fun, the variety show, which usually happen in 2 hrs, only took an hour. Not only that, I noticed the Foundation Days were shortened from 5 days to 3 days. Before it was 3 days, then to 5 days, but this year, 3 days. Also, I noticed that the sound system was reduced. The speakers on the sides were not used. Because of that, the audio of the show wasn't that good, esp. when the Glee Club, the solo guitar performance, and one song number performed, they could not be heard clearly.

A lot of things did change after we graduated. The student population got smaller. The usual two-section levels, turned to be just one-section in other levels like the 4th yr. Also, in the gym where the variety show was held, the audiences were also reduced unlike before, the gym was always packed. I really didn't know what actually happened that these things had to occur. Students also changed. There are more hard-headed, spoiled bratty kids, feeling mature, night outs, going out during lunch time, less students staying in the campus after 5PM (accdg. to my brother). Things did change. However, I did find few students who grew up spiritually (well, that's good). I just hoped that the school would go back the usual that it was running okay. Though, it's okay now, but not as okay as before. The teachers working also were good now (that's another good thing); I heard the teaching was good or maybe even better.

Except, my brother moved to another school, and it's really bad because I worried the math, english, and science he was being taught now. (After the variety show, we decided to have a joyride, taking advantage because our parents weren't home for the night; we stopped by the new bridge and watched the sights and enjoying the cool breeze. Unexpectedly, we started talking about our school. How the school and we were then and now.) The curricula of his school "weren't that good," he said. I saw his math book once and, "Oh! This had been taught in my elementary years." My brother's in 2nd yr HS (tsk tsk tsk). The English teacher, he said, didn't even speak good English, even their principal; he would always criticize the way they spoke because he knew how better the lessons of our old school, OCGS, was. I really regretted his Math in that school. Though my brother changed for the good, he said he's more humbled now than he was in OCGS; not only that, he said, "those who moved out and transferred to another school far from OCGS were humbled." My brother was boastful when he was still there (he said), but now, he did change. He's spirituality did change. However, he's boasting he changed compared to his classmates then in OCGS, that was why he told me they became worse and proud and spoiled. I told my brother that those who moved out from the school did change like us who graduated. It was because, OCGS was so protective of us that we didn't know what the world outside looked like until we changed schools. And he did agree with me. His school had "bozos", rebels, smokers, drinkers, PDAs; everything what the world was, he saw and learned that God's kingdom was better than Satan's kingdom, this world we were living. When we learned what the world looked like and when we had the spiritual background (this we thanked our old school), we knew our capabilities, weaknesses, responsibilities, and hope in Christ; we became more conscious and careful in everything we did for we were bringing the name of Christ Jesus and our old school. We still made mistakes for we were still sinners, but the difference though was our relationship with Christ. We confessed our sins and weaknesses for God would make us strong in weakness.

For whatever our weakness is, we should confess it and let God work in us. Making him the foundation of our life, our future. Remember Paul and his thorn (2 Cor. 12:1-10). Paul's thorn is his weakness. It can never be pulled out. His thorn hurts but his thorn reminds him of his need of God. He offered his life, as well as his thorn to Christ. And now, he's been boasting about the thorn: though his thorn hurts, Christ is helping him live on. That thorn would only be taken away once he now lives with Christ and God the Father in the kingdom of heaven. For without Christ, we are nothing. Just like Paul, we all have our thorns, but we must still move on and allow God to help us relieve from that thorn until He takes it away completely when we meet Him in heaven. As Paul said in 2 Cor. 12:10, "For when I am weak, then I am strong." God is our strength. We "can do all things through Christ who gives us strength." (Phil. 4:13)

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