I Want To Be A Plate Of Chilli Crabs!

Yesterday and today, dinner for me has been very sumptuous. Last evening I was at Hog's Breath Cafe (Vivocity) with some siblings-in-Christ and their children. We all had steaks, brownies with ice-cream and apple crumble with ice-cream. Praise the Lord for the time spent with every one of them.

Just about an hour ago, I cooked for my family chilli crabs. Mum called me in the afternoon to hint to me she has cravings for this particular dish. I left work earlier as I needed to do two things: one was to check out some camera lenses in town and the other was to buy some Sri Lankan crabs.

The five of us with our bare hands dug into the hot and spicy crustaceans and it was truly finger licking good. Who says that phrase is only meant for chicken from KFC? Oops! I think lately I have something against Kentucky Fried Chicken - I guess soon I will see a lawyer's letter sueing me for always picking on them. Haha.

Anyway, while I was cooking, I realised that there are always vital ingredients (like garlic, salt, sugar, etc) needed to make a delicious dish - without them no matter how expensive the crabs can be, they will never taste nice. One without the other basically makes the dish imbalance.

I guess the above application can be paralleled to the life of a Christian. There need to have certain fundamental disciplines to make one's walk holistic - prayer, the Word of God, fellowship and service. I have heard of siblings-in-Christ sharing before that they only need to pray and that is enough; others told me fellowship should suffice.

It is good that they are doing at least one aspect of a Christian lifestyle but to strengthen it and to make one's foundation strong, other disciplines are required too.

Let us all persevere and desire to practise the four areas I mentioned above: prayer allows us to speak to God about our lives, both the good and the bad sides of it and it also gives us the opportunity to listen to what He has to say to us; sometimes it may not be audible but one sure way in which we know He will speak is through His Word (the Bible). Hence, it is important for us to study His Word daily. If not, we will not be able to know what God's will is for us in our pilgrim's journey; God also speaks through our siblings-in-Christ. It is also crucial for us to account our lives to one another so that we can keep each other in step; service allows us to apply what we have learnt and heard from God in the ministries we have committed ourselves into. It also allows us to bless others what God has blest us with.

On top of all these, there is another practice which I incorporate in my communion with God daily - praise. It allows me to give thanks to God in all circumstances, though of course it is a struggle when I am going through a lousy patch. But if I try to do so despite of the difficulty, it allows me to see trials in perspective and it also allows to me to be at peace, knowing that I am not fighting life's struggles alone.

What I have shared so far sound as if they are easy to do. Nope! Not at all! But I am not going to give up in doing what is good for me. I want to be a delicious plate of chilli crabs where all the basic ingredients are present. :)

Here's looking forward to a wonderful week ahead! Need to also remind myself to eat healthily and moderately. Difficult feat but I will try to control. Haha.

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:3-11

The Bible - What's It To You And Me?

The above pictures were taken when my God-Son, his parents and I decided to take the Singapore Flyer this evening. It was an impromptu plan but a relatively good one since all of us have not tried this new icon of the island-nation! It is apparently the biggest in the world. I hope I got my fact right. :)

I was hoping to take pictures of the sunset and the Singapore Skyline when the surroundings turned dark but we sort of mis-timed the boarding. The construction of the integrated resort and also the Stadium by the Bay were an eye-sore to photographers who are interested in taking a nice picture of the Marina Bay. Anyway, it was still an experience.

We had dinner at this restaurant called Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits located in the Singapore Flyer Complex. I must say that the chicken tastes better than Kentucky Fried Chicken. Sorry KFC. Anyway, I am only speaking for myself. I had better say this lest I get sued by Colonel Sanders and Company. Haha. :) I also do not wish his ghost to come and visit me tonight for saying something bad about the establishment he had officially founded in 1955.

Go and try this new kid on the block and see whether you agree whether the chicken is jucier and tastier than KFC's.

Anyway, thanks be to God for the opportunity to try new stuff today!

I learnt something from my God-Son and his parents and this is in relation to my walk with Jesus as my Heavenly Father.

He was misbehaving while we were eating our dinner and his father, who is a very dear brother and good friend of mine, had to be stern with the boy. The lad obeyed what his father instructed him and after that he was more well-behaved. My dear brother had to also explain to his 2 1/2-year-old son as to what he had done wrong.

When I was talking to my friend's wife, who is also a dear sister to me, she shared with me that my God-Son is picking things up very fast at this age. With this realisation, the parents themselves have to set good examples and also to give sound and Godly advice to this dear child of theirs. They also have to correct him from the bad habits he learnt from his schoolmates at the pre-nursery school.

When I was listening and observing all that had happened, I realised this is also what God is trying to do for His children. He knows we are constantly exposed to the teachings of this world and many of us have picked up bad habits along the way. Some have sinned and are still sinning but God is in the process of disciplining His children... not to torture us but to correct us for our own good. If ever there was a patient father, He will be the One!

The Word of God, which has been neglected by many, is the main source in which God speaks and teaches - training us towards the path of holiness and godliness. Yet, many Christians find no interest in learning from it and hence, have gone astray.

There is a need for Christians to go back to the Word, which is the lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path. Christians without the Word are like a soldiers without their weapons.

Just like my God-Son is learning from his earthly parents; we need to learn from our Heavenly Father. We cannot go wrong when we choose to follow this path.

Anyway, time for me to end soon. It has been a long day as I have been out since the late morning. Some current and past members of the Missions Committee had a farewell lunch for a dear brother who will be leaving with his wife and two children for Cambodia to carry out the work of missions in this land God has called them to. It was a fruitful time of fellowship which I know I will miss when they are away.

May the Lord bless and keep this family who have obeyed His call and are now in the process of carrying their crosses to another land so that the glory of God will be shown to those who have yet to experience it.

Thanks be to God for a wonderful start to the weekend!

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." Hebrews 12:1-13

Outer Versus Inner Beauty

I just got home from work. It has been a super long day but thanks be to God for pulling me through it. This afternoon I had to give a presentation for a research topic that I was working on. I have spent the past few weeks on this and I praise the Lord all went well.

I received a few positive feedbacks from the panel. I thought the pointers given were very constructive and decided to stay back to add their suggestions into the overall proposal. I did not want to procrastinate since I was excited about the whole thing. I realised when one is enthusiastic about certain stuff he or she is doing, ideas would just start flowing. It happened to me today. :)

Well, now that I have got this over and done with, I can enjoy all I want this weekend and hopefully have a good rest too.

This morning I woke up feeling fat. I am actually. Haha. I did not feel good about it. Coincidentally, I read someone's blog and she too said something about being horizontally-challenged. In fact lately, I have been hearing a few people complaining about their weight or their looks.

Is it wrong to be bothered by this physical dissatisfaction? If it is for the concern of health issues, then it is good to do something about it since it is important for us to be good stewards to the bodies God has given us.

Sad to say, many times the discontentment is more related to vanity and that itself is unhealthy. Sometimes it becomes the god of our lives because everything we do revolves around being conscious of how and what people would think of us.

It is okay, to a certain extent, to consider the way we would like to carry ourselves in the presence of others but if it begins to govern our lives then something is wrong and we need to evaluate our mindset on physical appearances.

A question kept appearing in my mind - does God treat one who is fat and another who is thin differently? I do not think so. Sad to say, this cannot be said of some of the people around us but we cannot let these persons cause us to be insecure about ourselves!

When I was praying about this and for the people whom I know are affected, I was challenged to consider the inner beauty than that of the outer. How true a revelation that was!

What is the point of being beautiful externally when what comes out of our mouths or the thoughts we have in us are unattractive at all? I cannot speak for others but if I have to make a choice, I would want to work on my character-building than anything else. May God be my help in this.

So will I continue to lose weight? Yes, for my health sake but it will not control me.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Matthew 23:27-28

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30 (applicable to men as well, in my opinion)

What's With The Attitude?

Sometimes I wish not caring for people anymore especially my friends. Here I am trying my best to be there for them and what I got in return was a cold shoulder or unwillingness to share.

I realised it is tough nowadays to be a friend to another. I remembered when I was a youth and going through my tumultuous growing up years, there were many around me who showed their love and care for me. Did I find them a nuisance? Not at all. In fact, I appreciated all that they did for me.

I learnt the power of love - it helped me grow to be who I am now. I also remembered the hugs I received when I was down and out - it meant a lot to me when I felt so lonely in the midst of my struggles. The warmth given to me during those times assured me that I was never alone and that I would always have a shoulder to cry on when I needed one.

I told myself then that when I grow up, I will do the same as what they had done for me but now that I am doing it, it is not as easy as I thought it to be.

I was just pondering about the reasons for people shutting their doors on others and here are a few I could think of:-

1) The society has taught individuals not to trust others but themselves;

2) People are reminded that it is better to depend on themselves than on others - not be a sissy or a weakling;

3) Because many have been taught to have a "each-his-own" mentality hence they themselves not practising love and care towards others, that when they are receiving such love and care from their friends, they find them a nuisance and a busybody. Some do not even know how to react and the easiest way is to shut people out;

4) The term that I HATE most - GENERATION-GAP!

I am not trying to force people to open themselves up but do spare a thought for those who are genuine in wanting to help.

Yes, every one needs their space and I respect that. I am sharing the above-mentioned for myself and all who are reading this to reflect and evaluate.

We need to begin to trust one another now (if not we will never be able to trust at all); we need to be vulnerable (because we are humans! No one is perfect!); and we need to be selfless and not self-centered (sometimes we need someone to be there for us and at other times we need to be there for someone else. That is how we keep each other going); lastly, we MUST bridge the generation gap (Come on, adults and youths, let us begin to understand one another better! If we do not start doing that now, the gap will SURELY widen. Whose fault when this happens? EVERYONE!).

Well, I am writing all these out of frustrations but mark my words, I WILL continue to LOVE and CARE for my friends! Call me a nuisance or a busybody or a pain but however and whenever I can I will continue to be a friend to another. Of course I cannot be there for all my friends all the time (sometimes I wish I can) but I will try. Sometimes I will fail - bear with me.

Okay, I feel better now that I have let the "Argh!" out of me!

I am still in office, having to prepare for a presentation tomorrow. I was actually home early, around 5pm, to meet someone but the appointment was cancelled. I decided to head back to campus to continue from where I left off. Praise the Lord for the progress and I should be able to finish the preparations before the clock strikes 12.

Tiring and frustrating day but thanks be to God!

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclessiastes 4:9-12

In Friends We Trust!

I was in the MRT on my way home from work. The carriage I was in was not that crowded though it was already past 7pm. On my left were two ladies in their early twenties - from the way they dressed and each carrying a notebook, they should be undergraduates.

Anyway, that was not what caught my attention. It was more their conversation. I did not mean to eavesdrop - I tried not to but they were loud enough for those around to hear what they were talking about.

It was about another friend of theirs who got pregnant. Actually one of the ladies did not know about it. It was the other who told her. Apparently, she heard about it from another source.

What struck me was this one sentence - "Hey! Cecilia asked me to keep this a secret because shot-gun case so please do not let anyone know, yah?"

I was that close to telling the two ladies off! Why did I want to do that? Well, because of that one word "secret"! Did they not know the meaning of that word? 'Secret' - 'kept from the knowledge of any but the initiated or privileged'. Which part of this did they not understand?

It is sad that such a serious matter whom the affected party has confided in her friend has now spread to those who are not supposed to be in the know. In fact, I should not even use the word "friend". A synonym for 'friend' is 'confidant'. Where was the confidence? If that 'friend' of the affected party is genuine, he or she would have kept it to himself or herself. Even if he or she wants to find help for the affected party, he or she still needs to seek approval first.

Is it that hard nowadays to find a friend whom one can trust? Am I a friend to another? I sure hope I am. I also desire that my friends are truly my friends.

Anyway, I learnt from the above incident that once someone has confided in me about something, I am no more at liberty to use my discretion to do what I want about it. To me, it is now binding between my friend and I. Whatever was shared to me will be left as they were. Should anything else needs to be done, I need to consult my friend first.

Well, I have been betrayed before but it is not going to stop me from trusting my friends. We are all humans and we do err but as much as we can, let us try our best to prevent incidents or insensitive acts which may hurt another especially if that person is our friend.

Food for thought, I guess.

I prayed for the two ladies, for their friend who is now with child and also for that friend of the pregnant girl whom she confided in. I sensed something bad happening should words of this pregnancy go one round.

I shall stop here - I need to clean my camera. I used it this afternoon to take some photos for a presentation on Friday. While doing the photo-shoot, I learnt a couple of new stuff with the camera functions. :) Loving my camera even more now! Haha!

Sleep tigh, everyone!

"He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends." Proverbs 17:9

The End Here Is Never An End!

Yesterday Christians all over the world celebrated Easter Sunday - the day when Jesus rose from the dead. If there was no resurrection, then the Christian faith is dead but the fact that He is now alive, every day believers, like me, worship a living God!

This morning I attended a funeral of a dear brother-in-Christ - since last August he battled several illnesses (kidney failure, massive heart attack, internal bleeding, etc). Throughout his struggles, God was in his heart and mind and he would continue to cry out to Him for help. Times when the medical staff had given him little hope, he came out of his sufferings and was able to stand before the church to give his testimony on the goodness and mercy of God.

This dear brother is no more in this world, in the physical sense, but he is still alive where he is now - heaven. He is also in the heart and mind of all those who have known him.

It is the same for the God whom I worship. He is not with me physically but in my heart and mind, he will always be so real and true.

I cried when I was at the crematorium - not tears of sadness but those of joy because I know this brother is suffering no more and he is smiling as he walks with the God who has kept him going.

I will meet my God and all my siblings-in-Christ who have gone ahead of me one day when my time here in this world comes to a close. That is the hope I will be clinging on. In the meantime, I will make known to others the love of Christ... who says there is no meaning in life? There is, especially for those who have come to know the saving grace of the risen Lord!

The end here is never an end for me and all my siblings-in-Christ - it is just the beginning! How refreshing a thought!

I am still unwell. In fact yesterday when I was co-leading worship at the Combined Service, my throat was very uncomfortable. The night before it was worse but all thanks and praise to God for sustaining and allowing me to have a great time worshipping Him, along with the rest of the church.

I will be stopping worship-leading till end of this year so that I can concentrate on the Missions Ministry. My Pastor-in-Charge asked me to reconsider but when I was at Changi Beach last evening praying about it, I felt this is really what God wants me to do for now. There is a tinge of sadness but it is something that I have to do in order to give my all in the primary ministry that God has called me to.

Well, that is all for now. I shall get on with my work.

To God be the glory!

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:28-39

Yay To Restful Holidays!

I just spent some time in prayer for tomorrow's Easter Combined Service that I am co-leading with a sister-in-Christ. I am concerned for both our voices - we are still recovering from our coughs and sore throats.

When I woke up from a nap just now, my throat seemed to have deterioriated. I have pumping myself with lozenges and gulping glasses upon glasses of honey-water but my voice is still coarse. Well, I know the Lord will make my throat well when I stand before Him in worship.

Today has been a wonderful time of rest and relax for me. Though in the morning I had to be in church for the Worship Team rehearsal, it was a refreshing time as I fellowshipped with my siblings-in-Christ. I am also glad that we managed to work out the flow of the whole service. All thanks and praise be to God for that!

I went to town for a while to meet a friend for lunch and then to Funan Centre to check out some photo-editing softwares. In the end I did not buy any as I wanted to do more research first - I basically wanted to be sure that the one I will be buying eventually will be able to meet my requirements.

I was planning to meet some friends for dinner but in the end I decided I needed to rest as it will be a long day for me tomorrow.

Yesterday I had a great time with the MacRitchie Running Fellowship gang. It was an impromptu plan but it turned out really well. When we had lunch, an idea by one of them suddenly popped up and the dear brother suggested having BBQ by the beach in the evening. All present were in favour and it was off to the supermarket to buy all the stuff needed.

We went to Pasir Ris Park and sat by the beach to have our feast of chicken wings, satays, fried rice, sambal squids, prawns, vegetable salad, fruit salad, hot dogs, otaks and drinks. There were 7 of us altogether (including my little God-Son). We ate to our fill though I controlled what I ate to preserve my voice. It was tempting to eat more but praise the Lord for giving me self-control.

It was a great time as we sat and admired the beauty of God's creation - the sea, the stars, the moon, the wind (it was so strong and cold), the islands and the people.

I shall stop here and head for my bed. I will write more of my thoughts tomorrow.

Who Is Jesus To Me?

Many times when it comes to Good Friday we remember how Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus to the authority. From then on He had to go through the trials and ultimately to the hill of Golgotha where our dear Lord was crucified with two other criminals.

This evening at the Maundy Thursday Holy Communion service, another person was brought to light - he is none other than Peter.

He was so sure that he would not deny Jesus but when he was put to the test in three occasions, as prophesied by Jesus Himself, he failed all three miserably. He did not have the guts to acknowledge that he was a disciple of Christ. Instead he became an ostrich and hid his head in the ground.

I cannot speak for others but I can definitely see a Peter in me in several occasions of my life - when I had to go to church after work, instead of telling my colleagues that fact, I used another reason of meeting some friends for dinner; when I needed to go somewhere to pray, I would say I was going to the toilet; when I knew something done was outrightly wrong, instead of correcting, I went along with the practice; when I wanted to read the Bible in the train, I felt awkward; when I was reading a Christian literature in the bus, I would try my best to hide the cover so that people would not know it was Christian stuff.

The above are just some examples. It is sad that I do not have the courage to live out my faith and proclaim Jesus aloud as being my Lord and Saviour all the time. In church, I can tell my siblings-in-Christ to do what the Word of God says and be a light but when I am on my own, there are times when that light is covered with a bowl and the Word of God suddenly became dead.

When I was preparing to receive the bread (symbolising the body of Christ broken for us) and the wine (the blood of Christ shed for our sins), I was challenged to live my Christian faith 100% and to stop being a mouse. If I had to be mocked by others for the sake of Christ, so be it. Of course this is easier said than done and it is my prayer the Lord will give me the guts.

It is comforting to note that though Peter has hurt Jesus with his denial and Judas with his betrayal, Jesus still died on the cross for all and not some. That is what grace is about - no discrimination whatsoever.

I guess Good Friday and Easter would mean nothing to us unless we truly embrace Jesus in our lives and not be ashamed of Him.

Praise the Lord for the lesson learnt. Well, the long weekend is here and it is my prayer that I will have some time to rest. I am still coughing - it can be irritating at times but I am trying my best not to let it affect me too much. I am also preserving my voice for this Sunday's Easter Combined Service - I hope I will be able to sing the songs I am leading then.

"Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!" After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly." Matthew 26:69-75

Going Against The Flow

It is past 1:00am and I just woke up. I had wanted to go for the Holy Week service yesterday but suddenly I started sneezing and my throat acted up and next thing I know, I am sick. :( I think I got the flu-bug from a few people - two from church and one from work. Though it is good not to be selfish but sharing flu-bugs with others is one thing I would rather not have. Haha.

Anyway, I am anxious and eager to get well soon as I have to prepare lunch for the church office staff - all 20 of them including interns. Haha. I am leave today - basically to cook mee siam and also curry chicken for them. Shepherd's pies have also been ordered to add to the varieties. I think another church leader is going to bring another dish but not sure what it will be. Surprise is good. :)

Prior to falling sick, I came home early to prepare the curry chicken and also the gravy of the mee siam. I had to do this as curry will taste better the following day and the chicken meat will be more tender as well. It is also to lighten my load of preparations because frying six packets of mee-hoon is not joke especially for the arms. Good work-out though.

I have to lead the Easter Combined Service as well - need to preserve my voice for the singing part. A sister-in-Christ who will be co-leading with me is also sick. She was prescribed 7 different concortion of drugs. Hmmm... must be really bad! I really covert your prayers if you are reading this blog.

Before I started writing this blog, I was spending some time in prayer and during a moment of silence, I was pondering on one unedifying practice that I have observed and am equally guilty of - mocking others for doing something right.

What do I mean by that? Have you heard of people making remarks like, "Hiyah, stop being so preachy can or not?" or "Oh no! Here comes Holy Molly! Take cover!!!!!!!!" or "Can compromise a bit or not? So holy for what?!" or "Wah!!! Always do quiet time! So godly ah."?

I think you get the point I am referring to. Frankly, for a person who desires to know God better and to do what he or she feels God is leading him or her to do will not be affected much by such remarks because they know why they are doing all these - one, to honour God through serving Him and others; two, allowing the blessings they have received from within them to overflow to those around them; three, to be a friend to all.

I mentioned "will not be affected much" because like it or not, the person being mocked, who is also a human and have feelings, will be hurt when someone make fun of their genuine desires to serve God and others. Many will continue to press on, carrying the cross on their backs.

As I thought deeper about this topic, I realised that those times when I made such remarks to my other siblings-in-Christ is due to the fact that I envy them. I was envious of their desires to know God deeper and to serve Him as an automatic response to obedience. When I realised I could not be like them, I got frustrated - instead of doing the right thing of following their examples, I went the opposite by putting them down.

Please guard our tongues the next time we itch to say something to someone which we know is going to be hurtful.

Jesus was mocked several times when He went around ministering to people. Instead of us being the mockers, let us follow the footsteps of Jesus and be mocked for the sake of the gospel! It is a 'dirty' job but the Christian lifestyle is always about going against the norms.

Food for thought. Talk about that, I am hungry.

I shall go eat something and then sleep again. :)

Good night!

"Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you." Proverbs 9:8

"Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." James 3

Living While Dying

The weekend has been filled with my involvement in two weddings - one as a Day Coordinator for my ex-Sunday School student whom I taught more than 10 years ago; the other was as a Wedding Photographer for an ex-Methodist Youth Fellowship sister-in-Christ.

It was a joy to see the both of them having found their life-partners and now entering into a new chapter of their journeys. I had fun coordinating and taking pictures respectively. All thanks and glory to God!

When I got home last night, I was just so dead-beat! After editing the photos, I slept like a log but had to wake up early this morning for work. Praise the Lord for sustaining me till now. I felt like a zombie throughout the day. Haha!

Oh yah, at both weddings I bumped into a few friends from secondary school, pre-university and army - the photographer for the wedding I was coordinating on Saturday is an ex-secondary schoolmate. Interestingly, we both have the same Christian name. When we saw each other, we knew we have met before but could not recall when and where. It was through the deduction process that we finally got the answers.

Then yesterday at the Indian wedding, I met a secondary school classmate. He was the Wedding Planner. He started his own events company after he finished his studies. Next was a classmate from pre-unversity days. He is an Indian national but is now a permanent resident of this island-nation. I remembered him as one who is very good at Mathematics. Whenever I had problems, he would be the first person to go to. The other friend was a Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) from a unit I was attached to whenever we have to fulfill our reservist obligations. Instinctively, I addressed him as "Sir" and when we heard that, we both laughed!

Well, it was a great reunion with all of them. We exchanged our contact details. Hopefully we will meet again soon to catch up.

I am looking forward to the Good Friday/Easter long weekend - cannot wait to rest as much as I can then.

This week my church is observing Holy Week. Every night there will be a service. I am hoping to attend all of them but there is no guarantee as it is another busy period at work.

I was at the service just now and interestingly, the guest speaker was touching on the topic about death. Yesterday when I was having lunch with a few siblings-in-Christ after church, a brother mentioned that he would like to be at his own funeral just so that he can listen to what people would say about him.

It got me thinking about it as I was on my way home to collect my camera equipment before proceeding on with my photography assignment. I am not faulting my brother for his desire to be at his own funeral. In fact I began to wonder also what people would remember me for when I am no more in their midst.

My conclusion is this - how I live now will determine what people would remember me for when I leave this world. But there is one more thing I hope others will remember - that is the God who lives in me! I use the present tense because God will forever be with me. Hallelujah for that!

I will always struggle with the weaknesses and sins in me (because I am a human) but I hope they will be overshadowed by how I also desire to live the way God wants me to (because I am His child) - that is to be more Christ-like and to let God use my life to impact those around me.

If I continue to practise the above-mentioned, then I will have no fear of how I would be remembered at my funeral when my pilgrim's journey have reached its end. May God's name be glorified ultimately!

The words of a song, Find Us Faithful, came to mind....

Verse 1:
We're pilgrims on the journey
of the narrow road
and those who've gone before us line the way -
cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary;
their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace.

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us run the race not only for the prize.
But as those who've gone before us;
let us leave to those behind us -
the heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives.

Chorus:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave,
lead them to believe
and the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.

Verse 2:
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
and our children sift though all we've left behind -
may the clues that they discover
and the memories they uncover
become the light that leads them
to the road they each must find.

We will never know when we will die. It could be the next minute or the next day or the next year. Sometimes I told myself, it would not be so soon. Who am I to kid?

We all have to start living while dying. It is interesting to note that immediately after birth, we are already dying!

Haha. Morbid subject to start the week off. :)

Time to sleep!

Good night, everyone and have a blessed week ahead!

"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:19-27

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7-8

You'll Never Walk Alone

Finally work has eased up, at least for tonight where I do not have to bring back stuff from office to do. It has been up to my neck since Monday. On top of that, I have to prepare for the Easter Combined Service where I struggled quite a bit deciding on the songs, which must have a combination of both English and Mandarin pieces.

Whatever pockets of free time I had from Monday till now, I have been seeking the Lord. It was during lunch-time today that I managed to complete the list. I had a wonderful time of communion with God - praising, praying and listening. Thanks be to Him!

Well, it is now subjected to the approval of both the Pastor-in Charge and Worship and Music chairperson. May the Lord continue to lead and guide all who will be involved in the service as we anticipate the celebration of His resurrection!

Oh yah, the Worship and Music chairperson, who is a dear sister and also a good friend of mine, has responded to my email indicating my desire to stop leading worship indefinitely. She respected my decision as she has also noticed how over-committed I have been these past few months. One thing she did in her reply caused me to evaluate on my own walk regarding fellowship with my siblings-in-Christ - whether it has been one that is superficial.

She apologised that though she has noticed my over-commitment, she did not go further to share with me her observation and burden. I was touched by her honesty and open-ness and I asked myself how many times when I sensed a burden for the lives of my brothers and sisters-in-Christ that I chose not to do anything about it? There were many occasions.

Well, this is one indication of selfishness. Why do I say that? Because those times when I chose not to respond to the tugging in my heart is simply because one, I do not want to trouble myself with the hassle of having to follow up with the person involved (because I do not know what I will get myself into); two, it is a tiring process - physically, emotionally and mentally; three, I did not want to sound or look like a busybody; four, I got other better things to do; five, I sometimes chose the people whom I think I can help.

The above-mentioned are my confessions and I am learning to overcome them with God's help. Sometimes I questioned - "What is the point then for me to have a heart that though it feels for the people around me but I am not doing anything about it? The fifth reason I mentioned regarding choosing people whom I think I can help is a scary thought. Why the prejudice? Why the favourtism? Why the excuse?

Well, this is one area of my life that I spoke to the Lord about during my lunch break today. I was jolted by the rebuke I received! Many times I forgot that I will have to account all these to God when I stand before His presence. I can escape now but not forever.

I will ask the Lord to give me His strength and understanding and wisdom the next time I want to help a sibling-in-Christ who is struggling. If I tap on His resources, surely I can do all things!

Anyway, I want to share this because it is time for us to really practise the powerful discipline of fellowship - where lives of those whom we regard as brothers and sisters-in-Christ will be rescued, refreshed, touched and rebuilt! I guess this is how we help each other press on in life.

Many have fallen away not because the authenticity of the Christian faith is in doubt; it is simply because we do not walk with each other enough to help fight the lures and struggles of this world which can be overwhelming.

"Spirit touch Your Church, stir the hearts of men.
Revive us, Lord, with Your passion once again.
I want to care for others, like Jesus cares for me.
Let Your rain fall upon me.
Let Your rain fall upon me.

I led this song last Sunday. Did I mean what I sang? I hope so and I want to.

Fellowship Builds; Selfishness Breaks!

I shall sleep soon. I was up early this morning watching the Inter Milan - Liverpool Champions League match. Well, it was not a waste at all. Liverpool pulled through and is now in the quarter-finals!

Oh yah, the Reds' slogan reads, "You'll Never Walk Alone."

Hmmm... that is what fellowship is about, isn't it?! :)

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:1-2

Old-Fashion Mindset? Nah!

Today has been one where I had to go from one place to another for three meetings - one in the heart of the Central Business District (CBD); the other in the West and the last one was in church where I had to meet one of the Lay Ministry Staff and a sister-in-Christ to change some terminologies in the Missions Policy that I am in the process of revising.

By the time I was on my way to church, I was already very tired and frankly I was not at all excited in going for the meeting. The revision of the policy has been going on for a while and it has sapped quite a bit of my energy. While in the bus, I asked the Lord to help me press on and that the meeting would be a fruitful one.

Well, it was a great time spent with two of my sisters-in-Christ as we managed to amend all that were required. I thought it would take a while for us to complete the work but it was shorter than expected. We also had a great time as we discussed about plans to raise the missions awareness in the church and the involvement of members.

Interestingly, I left the meeting refreshed and enthusiastic as to what the Missions Committee can do to challenge most, if not, all in the church to play a part in the Great Commission that Jesus had given to all Christians.

Anyway, a conversation that I had with someone a few days ago has been bothering me and I still cannot seem to get over it. It may seem trivial but I feel this liberal thought or practice may eventually lead to a bigger problem, if the mindset is not dealt with.

It was about two persons holding hands even though they are not in a relationship and these two individuals are young adults who are still in the university. When I asked how come this is so and the answer I got was that I belong to the old generation and that the new generation of today does not subscribe to the traditional thoughts anymore.

To me, I think the person whom I was having this conversation with has missed the point altogether - it is not a matter of traditional mindset versus the new but it is a case of compromise which next time may lead to others telling me it is okay to have sex before marriage or co-habitation is the in-thing or extra-marital relationship is acceptable or pornography is part of sex education. All these may sound as if I am exaggerating but mind you some of these practices are already happening and sadly amongst Christians.

Where is God in this? What do we take relationships for? A 'fun' thing with no commitment whatsoever; when-I-get-sick-of-you-I-shall-change-partner mentality? That it is okay to follow what the world does?

Taking a step further, are we trying to say that Jesus' teachings, which are more than 2,000 years old, are old fashioned; that they hold no truth; no relevance and value anymore?

I am troubled by the above-mentioned.

Well, this will bug me for a while and I will pray about this.

Time to get on with my work!

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:15-17

"You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you." 1 Titus 2

Compassion Is For All; Not Some!

This morning God has again showed me how He is a Father who never fails His children when they cry out for help. In my blog on Friday I shared that I was not too confident in leading this morning's service. Since then I have been praying that God would help and use me despite of my inadequacies.

I went to church with only one expectation and that was for God to work things out accordingly. Well, He did! Everything went as well as it could be. I just simply fixed my eyes on praising the Lord without having to be concerned about the technicalities of the songs chosen. I learnt that when our hearts just focused on worshipping God, He will take care of the rest!

Well, though I am going to stop leading worship indefinitely (with a tinge of sadness and reluctance, I have to say), I know I will never get tired of praising my God Almighty who has always been so good to me and of course to all my siblings-in-Christ too. :)

I learnt a lot from the sermon today on "Showing Compassion for the Lost." One revelation was this - for me to learn and know what compassion is really about, I need to know my God inside out. Why? Because His character is all about compassion.

In having the knowledge of Him and putting into practice what He says in the Word, compassion will naturally be evident in my life - be it what I say or do. It would then mean I will have unlimited compassion towards others because the source comes from up high and not from my own.

I was moved at how the guest speaker spent majority of his time in prison to help the inmates overcome the struggles of their lives. He shared that it is so easy for the society to ostracise this group of people with their pre-conceived ideas without really understanding how these individuals actually desire to change their ways.

Many returned to crime not just due to their own doing but also the fault of the people around who have judged them and not gracious enough to allow them to integrate back to society.

As I was pondering on the sermon, I was reminded of something - frankly speaking, we are no different from those who have been convicted by the authorities for their wrongdoings. Why are we so self-righteous to judge people of their faults when we ourselves have our own sins and weaknesses? We are probably just fortunate not to be caught, that's all. A sin is a sin is a sin!

Some examples - cheating when peeling their carpark coupons by not putting the exact time; tapping your EZ-Link card at the exit of the bus but having no intention to alight until after a few stops away; tapping on other people's wireless broadband connection; 'borrowing' people's things and not returning them; etc. Sounds petty but these acts are still wrong.

Well, give others a chance when we ourselves also desire for that should we get ourselves into trouble. Next time when we have an ex-prisoner in our midst, remember to embrace him and forget about reminding him of his past. The step is forward (deliverance!) and not backward (bondage).

God did not give up on His creation; why should we give up on a fellow human being? We all err. So what! Learn from our mistakes and move on. That is how we learn and that is how we strengthen and build our character.

Well, so much for my thoughts. I am gearing myself for yet another week of busyness! I think it is going to be worse than last week's. So be it! God will be there. Haha.

Good night, every one! Have a blessed week regardless of how treacherous it will be! :)

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:8-9

God Created No One Stupid

I came back not too long ago from the Worship Team rehearsal. The flow of the songs was not what I planned it to be but still I want to praise God for guiding the team through. I am glad every one is now more familiar and has a better understanding of how one song leads to another.

Being a perfectionist, I was humbled after tonight's session. I was once again reminded that I can plan all I want and hope things to turn out my way but in the end, it is the Lord who will be the One guiding.

As I was walking out of the church building to the main road to catch a bus, I surrendered to God my fears and insecurities as I am not fully confident in leading this Sunday's service. I guess it is good that things turned out differently as it would then mean that I will have to trust God and not on my own ability and wisdom.

I am looking forward to Sunday no matter what. I know He will not fail me and that He has already heard my cries for help.

Well, Friday is here and the manic week I dreaded has come to pass. I am exhausted but I survived. All thanks and praise to God!

Another week of busyness awaits me actually but I shall leave that aside for now.

I have not been able to blog the past few days as I had to prepare a couple of things at work and by the time I came home, I was just too drained to do anything else.

Oh yah, I managed to squeeze some time in the late afternoon to visit the IT Show. It was a very focused trip to Suntec City Convention Centre. I headed directly to the fourth level; to this particular booth that sells camera tripod stands; bought the one I wanted; and off I went to church. Fifteen minutes was all I spent. Haha.

Anyway, while I was in the bus, on my way to the exhibition, there were these two men, nicely dressed in their office attires, having a conversation on how idiotic people around them can be - first they spoke of idiotic drivers, then of idiotic colleagues and moving on to idiotic shoppers. They continued with how idiotic some people of a certain nationality can be. I shall not name that particular country mentioned.

Anyway, I was appalled at the warped views of these two individuals and the number of times the words "Idiots" or "Idiotic" have been used - as if they are the only two clever beings on this earth. I was not very pleased at one point because they spoke quite loudly of their remarks. I basically turned and glared at them. I did not say anything (though I really wanted to) but that was enough to shut them up.

That encounter caused me to evaluate on how I view people at times and I must remember that I have no right whatsoever to think of another as being idiotic or inferior. The reason is simple - I am also a created being and I am no different from the rest. Even a person borned intellectually slower than others is still intelligent. No one is born stupid. Every one is just different.

Well, I was that close to putting those two yuppies down but I thank God for reminding me to love and not judge them. I said a prayer for the two young men and went on with my agenda.

Time to sleep! Good night, every one and have a blessed and restful weekend!

"Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." Isaiah 5:21

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24

Show Compassion; Touch A Life

Playing with Lights and Colours

(Canon 5D with EF 24-105mm f/4.5 L Lens)

I took the above photos at The Central Shopping Centre along Clarke Quay this evening. I was playing with my new camera and lens while waiting to meet a friend (whom I have not met since Pre-University days) for dinner. I did not plan this but as I was walking along the Singapore River, I chanced upon the cylindrical designs of a shop and decided to play with the repetitive patterns using my camera, the existing light and backdrops. Well, it was fun as I took several shots.

There were people walking past me and I think they might be wondering to themselves how come this photographer is so vain to take reflections of himself. Well, I thickened my skin and just went on with my photography session. Haha.

Anyway, I am very pleased with my new equipment and I have also learnt to appreciate the quality of the new premium lenses that I have acquired. It took me several years to decide on buying these lenses. Now that I know I am serious about this hobby, it is time to invest in them. I pray the Lord will constantly remind me to use these that He has given me as a ministry tool to the church and friends who need my services.

Early this morning before I started work, I spent about two hours worshipping the Lord -singing praises, reading His Word and also praying. I was seeking Him as to what songs to sing for this Sunday's 11:15am service which I am leading. The 120 minutes of communion with my God Almighty were refreshing and the list of choruses was drafted and confirmed.

The sermon title for this Sunday is "Compassion for the Lost." I was also reading the theme passage taken from Mark 6:32-44. My heart was deeply moved to see how Jesus showed compassion to those who were there listening to Him and how He fed the 5000 though it seemed impossible to the disciples to feed so many mouths.

One thing I learnt from the above-mentioned - showing compassion to others sometimes means having to go beyond our means to help them. Many times, I feel, Christians calculate what they have and can give in order to show compassion to those who are in need or lost. That is not compassion. That is selfishness!

I pray the Lord will continue to convict me as I ponder further on this. I hope I will be able to grasp the true meaning of this word "Compassion" and may I follow the footsteps of the Person who epitomises it!

Though the past two days have been busy for me, I am thankful to God for having pulled me through thus far. I was so busy yesterday rushing through some assignments that I did not even have time to blog. I slept early and like a log till this morning.

Three more days of busyness and I should be able to breathe better after that. :)

"So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. "This is a remote place," they said, "and it's already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat." But he answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "That would take eight months of a man's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?" "How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five—and two fish." Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand." Mark 6:32-44

Who Controls Tomorrow?

I am supposed to be watching Liverpool play against Bolton Wanderers but I have decided to blog instead. If not, by the time the match ends later, it would have been too late as I have to be in office early tomorrow. The week ahead is going to be manic so it is best for me to sleep all I can tonight. Scary to know how long and tough the week is going to be even though it is just the first day of it.

Anyway, it will also be a week of uncertainties as I am on stand-by - something related to my role as a reservist. Anyway, I shall not think about it now till I am being mobilised.

This morning's sermon was very timely and it is amazing how God used such means to assure me of His ever-presence in my life. The sermon title was "Who Controls Tomorrow?" The answers may be as obvious as "Andy Chew, of course!" but in actual fact, the Person is none other than God Himself.

My Senior Pastor was saying that it is okay to plan for the future but God has to be part of the planning - there must be a need to always seek Him. She also warned the congregation that we will never know what tomorrow holds as today may be our last.

Coincidentally, when the Youth Ministry Mentors (YMMs) met this morning for a time of prayer, the YM Coordinator encouraged the mentors to spend 30 minutes on our own just seeking God. I cherish that half an hour I had with God and I was reading about the need for Sabbath-rest. I basically shared with my God Almighty the qualms I have and also the burdens. It is a great comfort to have submitted all these to Him and knowing that He will surely carry me through the week.

It is really interesting for God to remind me of all these when I am preparing myself to enter a week of busyness both at work and in church. Truly He is good and His love endures forever.

It has been a tiring day - having been in church since 8am. On top of the regular Sunday activities like attending the YMMs' Prayer Meeting, YM and service, I had to also meet a couple to help them plan their wedding which will be in two weeks' time. Thank God the details have been sorted out and I will basically have to draft the programme for their BIG day.

I am glad to have met two siblings-in-Christ who were part of the TRACkers' programme which ended on Friday. Though they were from other churches (one from Wesley Methodist Church and the other from Agape Methodist Church), it was great to have them visit my church. :)

I came home not too long ago after I had dinner with my God-Son and his parents who are my very good friends.

My God-Son is running a high fever since yesterday. My doggy is also unwell as she has been vomitting since last night. I guess I will have to pray for them though one is not a human but I believe God will still bring healing!

Well, I guess that is all! I shall leave one day at a time and enjoy the week of adventure ahead! May the Lord's name be glorified through it all!

"Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' "And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest." It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4