Divine Intervention

The low wall has always been my problem for SOC since the BMT days. My momentum will be hindered by it due to me having to clear it more than once. I thought by passing my SOC back then with a timing which even qualifies for a pass in OCS, everything will be fine. I was wrong..

During one of my OCS SOC training, I suddenly slipped down the low rope even though I had coiled the rope tightly. This caused me to fail the training. I was stunned because I never had any problems with the low rope. Having cleared the low wall, I believed I have cleared all my problems, but this had to happen! This problem was erratic; it happens only sometimes. Having failed my trial test due to the low rope, I was feeling very low because the actual test will be in 6 days time.

I immediately looked to God for help. Prayer on this item was brought up in the days prior to the test. I visualised myself clearing all the obstacles in the actual test and claimed it with the name of the Lord. I believed in Him, and had faith that He will definitely pull me through. I drew my strength from Him through Matthew 21:21-22. I knew deep down inside He was going to help me pass this test, I just knew.

The day of reckoning came, and I prepared myself for the test. I prayed before I left the bunk and before I knew it, I was running down to the low wall. I cleared it in one shot and proceeded on to the next few obstacles. I then came to the low rope. Believeing with all my might, I jumped and grapped the rope, coiling my body and twirling my legs around the rope, stepping on it to make it firm. I then straightened my legs, and I did not slip! Touching the top, I shouted "YES!". The next few obstacles posed no threat. I completed my test 1 min earlier than my personal best. The best thing was that I did not really feel that tired. I knew this was not of my own strength, but of God's. It was a killer divine intervention!

'Normando'

Could not really think of any title, so hence the killer moniker.. =] I think it sounds really fierce! Sublime! A smart inference you can make now is that I am still alive! I have survived the 2 field camps in 2 weeks back to back. First, it was the section field camp, lasting 4 days 3 nights, in which we were taught how to fight and move as a section in a fire movement. Next was the patrol field camp, lasting 2 days 1 night, in which we were given 4 missions to complete - 2 day missions and 2 night ones. The total sleeping time for patrol field camp was 5 hours in 2 nights! I was literally a zombie on the third day (thankfully it was bookout day!!!).

Coming out of these 2 field camps, I feel like a different person. Perhaps more mentally tough and more aware of my strengths and weaknesses. It rained for both my field camps and we slept with wet clothing, on wet ground which seriously caused our morale to dip well below zero. The creepy crawlies which swarmed the undergrowth at my harbour area in patrol field camp made me think twice about sleeping that night. Anyways, I did not have to make a decision because the moment I lay down, I was knocked out. The Zzz monster won! Missions were continuous, giving us little or no time to rest. Battle stress was taught to us in this manner. Inspite of all these, I somehow feel that both field camps were realistic simulation of wartime scenario. It was good training..seriously..=] I learnt that it really took character and tons of fighting spirit to overcome these field camps (small picture) and to be commissioned as an officer (big picture).

One interesting thing to share was that earlier this week, I suddenly felt very negative about everything. My postive attitude seemed to have deserted me. I felt very down and sianz in camp. I prayed. It came to a point that I could not take it anymore, so I SOSed for my mum's advice. Speaking to her before my 7km run in the evening made me cry (she did not know), it was tears of sianz-ness. Maybe all the rushing in camp has taken its toll on me, I do not know. A famous saying of army is that of "rush to wait, wait to rush". Cool yah..=] Back to the topic, after putting down the phone, God somehow planted a thought in my mind asking me to use this 7km run as a landmark in my life, in which I ran into a new life, one that is stronger, it was as if the run was designed to help me abandon the sianz-ness I was feeling. I ran as if the devil was chasing me that day. True enough, after the run, I felt lighter and a little bit more positive. Things changed for the better from then on.

The tightness of the training schedule in camp also made me temporarily forget about my birthday! How killer is that? Anyway, it was a very quiet birthday I spent in camp, celebrations were done before I booked in earlier this week. I am 19 already..time flies..I am an oldie now.."There is one thing you can't recycle, and that is wasted time". So i guess one of my goals this year is to try and make full use of whatever time I have to the fullest. Time indeed is precious.

To end this post, I wish to share a quote I saw today on TV Mobile: The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw. I hope this will set you thinking a little bit..