Wednesday, October 19, 2011

When i was a young warthog...

this morning while looking at my bookshelves, i found a diary that i kept when i was 14 years old. i was quite amused to be reminded of what my 14-year-old self had been like; and i thought it might be fun to share some excerpts here. =)

31 December 1995, Sunday
1. Church - 8.30 am (done!)
2. Lace shoes (done!)
3. Wash plates (done!)
4. Piano Theory class - 2.00 pm (done!)

Friend 1 came to IMYF yesterday and church today. i pray that he'll start coming every week. i've witnessed to Friend 2. praying that he will accept Christ. signed up for Baptism/Membership classes today. went to Church watchnight service tonight. gave my life to Jesus to do what He wanted with it. Very significant decision. IMYF Club Hiking next sunday. this year was great. next year i'm going to grow spiritually in my walk with God. it's going to be even better as God helps me through 1996. =)

Note: Signed up for 2:7 as well. =)

Notes from 15 years in the Future:
- For those of you who aren't methodists, IMYF stands for Intermediate Methodist Youth Fellowship. it's for 13-15 year olds; once you're 16 you graduate to MYF.
- i'm tickled and touched by the immense optimism of my 14-year-old self. i still have an optimistic tendency today, but 15 years of Real Life has tempered it with a little realism and sometimes even cynicism. not necessarily a bad thing; but it's refreshing to see the world through the naive and hopeful eyes of my past self again, if only for a short while. =)

8 January 1996, Monday
1. Practice Piano (done!)
2. Wash plates (done!)
3. Theory Homework (done!)
4. Study Geography (oops, not done.)
5. BM Tuition - 7.30 pm (done!)

Today during Geography period, the teacher asked to see her homework. i honestly didn't know anything about it! when she asked me why i didn't do my work, i told her that i hadn't heard anything and she accused me of lying. how can she do that?!?

Anyway, i've had a great day apart from that. looking forward to a brighter tomorrow!

Notes from 15 years in the Future:
- Just in case any foreigners read this, BM stands for Bahasa Malaysia. it is our national language, and is a compulsory subject in schools up to the secondary level.
- still tickled by the optimism, lol! and i remember that geography teacher... she was strict and scary.

11 January 1996, Thursday
1. Practice Piano (done!)
2. Wash plates (done!)
3. Piano lesson - 9.30 am (done!)
4. BM Tuition - 7.30 pm (done!)
5. Maths homework (done!)
6. Science homework (done!)

After IMYF today i didn't go for 2:7 because Mum said Aunty Kim Guat said i shouldn't. i was the only person in the IMYF who signed up for 2:7. Aunty Kim Guat wanted me to be with my own age group (if i joined 2:7 i would be joining a MYF group). in IMYF today Aunty Kim Guat started a Bible Study, so i signed up. i hope i won't be the only one again!

Notes from 15 years in the Future:
- Oh, for those who don't know, 2:7 is a discipleship and bible study course by the Navigators.
- Eventually, in the following year, a 2:7 group was started with kids my own age. it was great! i learnt a lot, and i think it played a big role in helping me to grow and mature as a Christian.
- 4 years later when i was in Form 6, i led a group of younger kids in 2:7... sadly, they quit after finishing book 2 (the whole course is 6 books), saying it was too tough. =(
- Now, as a Youth Worker in Taman Ujong Methodist Church, i am leading another group of youths in 2:7. i pray often for them, that they may grow in the knowledge and love of God. =)

5 comments:

Liz said...

My goodness. You were such a chomel little 14-year-old! And soooo spiritual! Kudos :D

When I was 14, I wrote about why this annoying boy in class was bothering me all the time =.= (Knowing boys, it might have been their way of letting you know they liked you! xD)

Things like that were my secret thoughts at 14 :P

siehjin said...

haha thanks su li! =)

K.P. Fern said...

i really do think my theory about fourteen year olds is right, Sieh Jin. SERIOUSLY.

i was a drama queen in my journals at 14, probably because of the lack of sisters to "berdrama" with. and also because i picked up the 'princess diaries' to read.

I love the listing, and the blurness about geo homework. I doubt i'd ever dare answer the way you did!

siehjin said...

hey hannah! =)

your theory is right about me, but that's because i'm an extrovert.. i was noisy at 14, just like i'm noisy today.

however, i do know introverted 14-year-olds who are extremely quiet, reserved, and shy. they would either be exceptions from your theory, or evidence against it.=)

as for answering the way i did, i was just being honest! =P

Your sis said...

I didn't know you kept a diary when you were 14! I tried but I never kept it up, coz I felt the entries were so banal. Like, you know, every day I'm doing the same old thing...

I also never liked To Do lists, coz I hardly ever ticked all the stuff off and then would end up feeling guilty :p