How Is Our Conscience?

Even as I type this blog, my tummy feels like it is going to explode anytime! A slight pressure will be enough to detonate it. Haha. I over-ate when I had ma-la steamboat buffet with two dear siblings-in-Christ. As usual, I had more than I could take and I am suffering the consequences now. Andy Chew is a greedy PIG! :)

I am stuggling with a thought now and I hope to make it right tomorrow. I think the restaurant under-charged us when they sent us the bill. My brother-in-Christ said yhey may have forgotten to include the cost of the soups which was $10. I do not know whether it was an over-sight on their part or that they did not charge us because tonight they had a promotion which we were informed about when we arrived. Anyway, I shall give them a call tomorrow to clarify.

I am writing this not to boast because I gain nothing from doing this. I am sharing this because I want to remind all of us that though we may think we can get away with this by ignoring the matter but God knows every move we make. One day when our time on earth is up, we have to account everything to Him. Why be afraid of standing before Him in judgement when we can right the wrong while we are still alive and keep our conscience clear?

I have to admit that I wanted to just put the matter aside but till now, my mind is still not at ease. I also want to write this on the blog so that those of you reading this can keep me accountable.

Well, I shall write again about the outcome when I call the restaurant tomorrow.

Anyway, I am all geared up for the Chelsea - Liverpool Champions League semi-finals second-leg match. Another two and a half hours - I do not wish to sleep for a while as I fear I may not wake up on time to watch the game. I am hoping the Reds will win though the Blues have a slight advantage due to the away-goal rule. The first-leg match ended in a 1 - 1 draw. I hope I will not die from a heart-attack later.

I shall stop here for now - I have a couple of stuff to do.

Thank God tomorrow is a public holiday - not much of a rest as I have a cook-out session. Haha. More eating but I promise to watch the amount I will be chomping. :)

"I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live." Job 27:6

Why Complain Even Though Life Is Good?

I have another confession to make. Now as I looked back, I realised how ungrateful I have been when I made an insensitive remark.

This morning before I went out, grandma told me to come home for dinner as she is cooking nasi lemak for the family. It is one of my favourite dishes and grandma cooks top-grade nasi lemak. It goes especially well with the sambal prawns, fried eggs and sambal kangkong.

Well, though I wanted to stay over in campus tonight, I decided to go back and have dinner with my family. All the three side dishes I mentioned above were on the dining table. Was I satisfied? Not at all! Instead I complained as to why she cooked the sambal prawns differently - the sambal has always been the sweet kind but today she decides to cook it in another style which was not to my liking.

Did that give me the right to complain? Not at all! This shows how spoilt I can be even at this age. I should have considered myself blessed already to be able to come home and have meals cooked by grandma who is already 84 years of age. Instead of being grateful and thankful, I made a fuss out of it.

Grandma did not say much when I made those remarks. Inside her, she must have been hurt because I know she always cares for this family.

I have to apologise to her tomorrow when she is awake. Time to count my blessings and not be a stupid fool. I guess this is the result of how one is being over-blest. Complaining just because the dish is cooked differently when there are millions who do not have a chance to even have one meal a day.

One more thing - the complain was made after I said grace. Have mercy on me, Lord.

So much for that. Yesterday, my church's Assistant Pastor preached on "Prayer and Healing" and today I have to put that to practice. I was informed by my Pastor-in-Charge that one of the missionaries' son had to go for an emergency operation because his lungs suddenly collapsed.

I mobilised the Missions Committee to begin interceding for the missionary-couple and their son. Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace - the surgery was a success and he is now recuperating in the Intensive Care Unit.

Truly God is good! Well, I guess we should not undermine the power of prayer and every Christian needs to pray for one another especially during times of need.

I have not shared this in my blog about how God healed me from a serious injury several years ago. I will testify about it tomorrow when I blog again.

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." James 5: 13-18

"... give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Humility Is Not A Weakness

On my way back from dinner with my God-Son and his parents, our car almost met with an accident with a Thai-registered pick-up and we encountered a near-miss between a motor-bike and a taxi.

The pick-up just swerved out of his lane and went into ours. Even though it was his fault, he still did not signal and insisted on cutting in. If my dear brother-in-Christ did not swerve away in time, an accident would have occured. Throughout that incident, the pick-up driver did not seem to be apologetic at all.

As for the second incident, the taxi was in the wrong as he swerved out of nowhere without looking for blindspots. Again, the driver just went on even though his taxi had touched the legs of the motorcyclist and his pillion-rider. It would have been a scary sight if the bike had toppled over. My dear brother-in-Christ honked at the taxi and it was then it went back to its original lane.

The drama did not stop there though - the motorcyclist was angry with the taxi-driver and demanded that he stopped to account for the incident. The taxi did not stop. At the next traffic light, the motor-cyclist drove next to the taxi and scolded the driver for being careless. From where we were, we could tell that the cabby was not apologetic at all and even started gesturing at the couple on the bike.

Both incidents were sad sights of how sometimes we know we are in the wrong but because of pride, we refuse to admit mistake and right the wrong by apologising.

I guess that is why this world will always encounter wars and unrest because one party or both parties or sometimes several parties of human beings refuse to give in and seek reconciliation.

It is tough to deal with the world because it is just so big but we can start small with ourselves first. If ever we have done something wrong against someone; even though we know our reputation will be at stake if the mistake has been admitted, let us be humble, brave and courageous enough to do the right thing. I guess we know what that is, ya?

It is equally important for us to learn to help correct each other and bring all to reconciliation - if one can help two and two can help four and the mulitplication process goes on, this world would be a better place to live in. It is as easy as that. Don't believe? Just start with yourself and see how it goes from there.

I have a confession to make - this morning I did not feel like going to church and was tempted to just sleep in. Not that I am sick of church or that I do not love my God Almighty anymore. It was just that I was not disciplined enough to ensure that I do not tire myself out the night before, knowing that the next day I have to go to church to worship God with the rest of my siblings-in-Christ.

Though I had to drag myself out of bed, crawl to the kitchen to brush my teeth and hose myself down with cold water, it was not a bad choice afterall.

I had a refreshing time of worship with my Heavenly Father; an enriching moment of fellowship with my siblings-in-Christ; and I left church with a renewed desire to face whatever challenges that might come my way during this new week of adventure. Thanks be to God for that!

Well, I have written enough for the day. Time to sleep soon.

Have a blessed week, everyone and good night!

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32

Formula One Lifestyle

I took leave today so that I can use the time to rest and also to do up the Missions Ministry Notice Board. Praise the Lord for the time of refreshing as I read His Word, prayed and also spent some time in quiet. I did all that in the morning at the park opposite my home. The weather was cool and conducive as I fellowshipped with the Lord.

I went home after that to wash up. I had breakfast with mum - today is her birthday! May the Lord continue to bless and keep her as she continues her journey in life. :)

I headed for church next! The time spent in the church office was productive - I did some more amendments to the Missions Policy after I spoke to my Assistant Pastor; I also had a short moment of fellowship with him; I went out for lunch with the church staff; I did a sign with the words "Missions Ministry" for the notice board; I also printed a couple of articles to be pasted on the board.

By the time I was done with all of the above-mentioned, it was already evening. A dear brother-in-Christ bought dinner for me. We ate in one of the rooms and I had a fun time discussing with him about photography stuff.

I joined the Youth Ministry Worship Team after my tummy was filled. It was a great time of worship with my younger siblings-in-Christ. The songs chosen were quite challenging but I thank God that they were all eager to give them a shot. In the end, all turned out well.

I read 2 Timothy 3 this morning and it was not really a very pleasant passage but I praise God still for the stern warning He gave through this passage...

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

There is no need for me to elaborate what the passage is directing at. It is so clear. It is a warning and we had better take heed of it.

Our pilgrim's journey is like the Formula One race that is coming up in Singapore. We need to take pit-stops every now and then - to allow us to see where our lives are heading and whether we have compromised and become complacent. If we know we have been, then it is better that we do something about it before we sink deeper into the quick-sand of sins and find it tough to get out of it!

Already in church, I have heard of siblings-in-Christ finding pleasures in drinking and getting drunk instead of being filled with the Spirit; using vulgarities instead of praising God; being money-minded rather than being God-centered; reading literatures written by fellow humans rather than the Word of God; entertaining the lust of the flesh instead of keeping the body, which is the temple of Holy Spirit, pure; etc.

Many know what they need to do but yet, they do not practise what is beneficial to their lives. We sometimes live our lives as if we are heading towards hell than heaven! I guess that is why Jesus said entering Heaven is like entering a narrow door.

I shuddered when I reflected on the above passage this morning. We need to go back to the Word to know what else God has to say with regard to all aspects of life.

I was encouraging a dear sister-in-Christ from another church to read the Bible again after she had stopped doing so for a while. When I said that to her, it also served as a reminder for me not to let the Word of God depart from my mouth and heart.

We will not go wrong reading God's Word which directs the readers to live right!

Time for me to sleep now - I have to be in church early for the Local Church Executive Committee meeting.

Thanks be to God for this day! Happy Birthday, Mummy!

Some Things In Life Can Be Averted

Something happened today which made me realised that if some effort were put in and observations made, I would not have felt so frustrated.

In the afternoon, around 4pm, I had to send a visiting professor off at the airport. After that I decided to go to Parkway Parade Shopping Centre to check out whether some of the electrical mega-stores located in the mall sell dry cabinets which I have been looking for. I was also checking out some LCD televisions which my parents may want to buy for their room.

Anyway, that was not the cause of the frustration. After I was done checking out the above-mentioned, I took bus service 36 to Suntec City which I hope to check out more of the appliances at Carrefour and then after to Harvey Norman in Millennia Walk Shopping Centre.

When it approached the destination, I pressed the bell, indicating to the bus-captain that I was going to alight at the next bus-stop. The bus passed Suntec City but it did not stop and I wondered why - I asked the driver and he said there was a detour due to the JP Morgan Run.

Because of that, it had to make a big round to avoid the running route and the next stop would only be at City Hall MRT which was quite a distant away from where I intended to go. I started to get angry with JP Morgan company for organising the "stupid" run which caused a massive jam around the Suntec City area, inconveniencing thousands of office workers and other Singaporeans and tourists; I started to get frustrated with the bus company for not considering placing temporary stops along the detoured routes so that commuters can alight closer to their destinations; I started complaining about the numerous traffic lights in Singapore (almost every 50m there is one); I also get agitated when some cars started to break the law by being in the yellow box while making a turn which then blocked the bus I was in.

I can go on and on. After wasting about 20 minutes in the bus due to the detour, I alighted at City Hall MRT area and was still fuming as I headed to where I wanted to go. My evening was simply ruined because of all the inconveniences.

I just spent some time reflecting on the day I had gone through. Now that my mind has calmed down, I learnt a couple of things from this encounter:-

1) I could have been more observant when I flagged down the bus - on the windscreen there was a notice pasted to inform commuters of the run;

2) I could have been more tolerant with JP Morgan company - afterall the run is held once a year;

3) I could have been more reasonable when I was unhappy with the bus company - they might have thought of the idea I had but it probably might not have been feasible as it would create more jams should these extra buses, which are not supposed to ply along the detoured route on a normal day, stopped at make-shift bus-stops;

4) As for the traffic lights - if other days have been fine with me, why complain about it now, just because everything else added up to my frustration today;

5) I only lost 20 minutes of my time because of this special event planned - is it worth it to be so agitated by it and caused my health to be affected? Some people actually died of heart attacks because of such agitations.

I have heard of this phrase which people used quite often - "There are some things which we cannot control." It is true to a certain extent but there are many things which we can control and probably would have made life much easier to live with if we had been more careful; if some plannings were in order; if there were more observations made; etc.

Well, praise the Lord for lessons learnt.

I was a walking zombie the whole day as I had only about 2 hours of sleep. Who's fault? Andy Chew! :(

I stayed up to watch the Champions League semi-final first leg match between Liverpool and Chelsea. Liverpool played pretty well throughout the 94 minutes of the match but in literally the last second and touch of the match, one of the Reds scored an own goal which gave Chelsea an edge due to the away-goal rule.

I screamed my head off when that happened and the time then was close to 5am. My dad woke up and asked whether I was okay. Haha. It was good that he was awoken because I might just have a heart-attack then when I got so worked up. Haha.

I really do not know how the Reds will perform next week in the second leg. I also do not know whether I should stay up again to watch the match. We shall see. :)

Alright, I shall stop ranting. Need to get some work done now.

Another day of learning tomorrow!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:22-24

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." Proverbs 29:11

The Power of Togetherness

Today is one of the rare moments when I am able to visit my favourite cafe in Ngee Ann City Shopping Centre. I had a meeting in town and was done by 3:30pm. Since it was no point for me to go back campus and also later my family and I are celebrating mum's birthday, I decided to pay my Coffee Bean friends a visit.

One of the staff, whom I have shared about in my previous blogs, was so happy when he saw me. I praise the Lord that he is doing fine. He came over to chat with me since he was having his break. It was thoughtful of him to update me on some of the staff I know. He told me he has to work a 12-hour shift today and I encouraged him to press on. He smiled.

I have just been informed by the outlet manager that the cafe will be closed for good come November this year. They will be moving to another new shopping centre along Orchard Road but the manager is not sure which one it will be or where the current staff will be transferred to. I felt sad when I was told of this news. I hope they will all be together still. :)

I was also pleasantly surprised when I bumped into an ex-manager of another Coffee Bean outlet in Millennia Walk. She was in a rush so I did not get to talk to her - instead I messaged her. I hope to catch up with her since it has been a while since I last saw her.

My heart is burdened for a sibling-in-Christ from another church whom I got to know when I attended the Young Methodist Leaders' Conference (YMLC) last year. She was in my mentor group. I got a message from her just now that she had a spiritual attack last night when she felt as if she was pinned down by something or someone. I will continue to pray for this sister daily and trust that the Lord will protect her. I am also going to do some research on this so that I can better help her and others who are experiencing the same trial.

This incident has reminded me not to let the Word of God depart from my mouth and heart so that I can use it to encouarge my siblings-in-Christ who may be struggling in their lives. I also see the need to not be contented with the current knowledge I have about God and to continue to read up more so that I can better counsel others in need.

I guess in doing so, every member in God's family can help each other when in need.

Well, I shall stop here for now. I have a couple of ministry matters to look into. Looking forward to feasting with my family as we celebrate mum's 63rd birthday. I hope she will not kill me for revealing her age on this blog. Haha.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Things We Own Are Not To Be Taken For Granted!

Can you believe this? In a span of two weeks, I lost my mobile phone twice! The first was on 8 April and the second was just now after dinner. I did not realise I drop my phone till when the running gang was about to go home. We were at Novena Square.

I started back-tracking to the shops we visited but to no avail. My God-Son's father, who is also my good friend, called my number. A few times someone picked up but did not answer. When that happened he thought it was a 'gone-case' matter but while they persisted, my God-Son's mother noticed a couple meddling with a phone which looked like mine.

After hesitating for a while, they decided to approach the couple and true enough, it was my handset. My battery has gone flat and they decided to take out my SIM card to insert into one of theirs so that they could receive any calls made to my number. My good friend left a message and it was then they knew we were looking for it.

I thanked them profusely. Twice the communication device went missing and twice it was found by two very honest couple. These two incidents have given me a good impression of Singaporeans in general.

Of course I should not push my 'luck' too far by losing it again. This is truly the story of my life. Sigh. I am always that careless.

As I looked back, both cases I had promptings that I might lose my phone. The first I got a hunch at the beginning of that particular week the incident happened and the second it was a warning by my God-Son's parents to be more careful since they know I always tend to lose my things.

Obviously I did not take heed but enough is enough... I shall be extra careful from now onwards. :(

I have one confession to make though - while I was looking for my mobile set, there was a thought I entertained... it was just this phrase - "Hmmm... which handphone shop should I go to tomorrow to buy a new set?" Hahahahaha!

I can laugh about it but on a serious note, it is actually not funny. Well, this speaks lots about how I take things for granted. Instead of feeling bad or heartache, I actually did not really care much about losing my things.

Something I need to keep training myself to be a good steward of what God has given me.

Anyway, I am very tired now - in the morning, I joined the Youth Ministry (YM) in their Games Day - it was fun fellowshipping with my younger siblings-in-Christ. I brought my camera and took a couple of shots. After about an hour and a half of games, we headed back to church.

I had lunch with my God-Son's parents and grandma... we had an ala-carte buffet at Suki Sushi. We ate till our hearts' content. I also praise the Lord for the fellowship I had with them.

After that it was off to their home where I baby-sat my God-Son while his parents slept. Haha. I read storybooks to him and played balls where he kept throwing them at me while I tried to duck. I attempted to make my God-Son sleep by playing a sleeping game - simply by keeping silent. It worked for while but I knew the whole plan failed when he landed on my tummy as if he was a wrestler. Haha! All the sushies I had earlier almost came out of my mouth while he slammed onto me.

Oh yah! My God-Son's father, who just came back from a Hong Kong business trip, bought Krispy Kreme donuts and I had three in total! Yummy! In my opinion, no donut joints in Singapore can beat this particular brand founded in 1937! J Co comes in second after trying their donuts just last week!

Alright, I shall not talk about food anymore but to prepare some stuff for a brand new week ahead.

Good night, every one and have a blessed week of adventure ahead!

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." 1 Timothy 6:7

Opportunities Once Missed May Be Gone Forever

I am writing this blog now in a Starbucks Cafe at The Central, next to Clarke Quay. I left work earlier to go to Singapore General Hospital to donate blood. I just finished and since I am in a limbo now as I have a Youth Alpha course at 6:30pm, I thought I take this time to jot some thoughts down at a cafe.

It has been a great day so far. I had an accountability group meeting in the morning at 6:30. It has been a while since I last met four of my older brothers-in-Christ. The fellowship was wonderful as we updated each other about our lives - our encounters; struggles and dreams. I am so happy for one of my brothers as his wife is now expecting a child. They have been trying for more than two years already. I was getting a little worried for this dear couple. All of us in the group has been praying for one another about our needs and God has indeed answered our pleas. Thanks be to God for that!

I just realised there is a baby boom in my church now as there are about 5 couples who are going to be parents. Of course I am looking forward to the arrival of their babies - many chances to play with them. :)

Anyway, during the time of sharing, I was burdened with an issue concerning my life - I wonder sometimes in my procrastination in certain periods of my pilgrim's journey, whether I have missed certain chances which God has given me. I will not go into details but the thought happened to bug me as I was on my way to campus. Well, I guess it is for me to reflect and see how I move on from here.

I am glad the weekend is here but tomorrow is filled the Youth Alpha course again till 6pm. Just as much as I want to learn more from this seminar, I also hope to have a restful weekend. I pray the Lord will give me the opportunity to do so.

Even as I type now, I am actually feeling a little sleepy - I hope I can persevere in the three-hour session later. Haha.

I guess I shall stop here for now. More thoughts later perhaps. :)

Praise the Lord for a great week!

God Is Not A Dictator

I just came back from a Missions Committee meeting with the Country Coordinator to Cambodia. The issues discussed tonight were heavy but I left the meeting feeling very refreshed, excited and enlightened.

Many of our doubts and uncertainties were cleared. Now I have a better idea as to how the Committee can move forward in our ministry effort to this country that God has called my church to.

The road ahead will not be easy but with God's hand guiding the Committee and the church, I know everything will be alright in Christ! :)

Prior to the meeting, I had a good time of catching up with my God-sister whom I have not seen for a while. I left work earlier to meet her after she was done with school. She came over to play with my dog and I had to also do something for her. We had dinner at Sushi Tei and it was her treat. I was touched by her generous gesture.

Well, though I wish I can meet her more often, our commitments do not allow us to. I just pray that the Lord will continue to be real in her life and that she will always trust Him to guide her in all that she does.

I still owe her a birthday treat and I am looking forward to the day when we will be celebrating it somewhere. I have yet to decide of a place.

Anyway, work today has been quite hectic. I had to go for a three-hour meeting this morning and it was so heavy-going that I left the office drained. I guess the meeting in church sort of balance the whole thing out. Haha.

I am feeling better emotionally when I woke up this morning. My heart is still burdened over grandma and mum. I guess I can only leave this concern to God and trust that in His time He will open the eyes of these my loved ones and bring about healing of relationships and emotions. I am also going to be there for them and hopefully I will be able to help them mend their hurts.

What I wrote in my last blog has reminded me that God does not want to dictate what we should do with our lives. He does advise and show us how through His Word; through our siblings-in-Christ; through promptings; etc. The rest is up to us to see which directions we want to take. Many times we know where we should go and what we should do but sadly, we tend to choose otherwise.

When that happens, we become bitter and frustrated. Sometimes to the point of blaming God or others for our miseries rather than ourselves.

Anyway, I will always seek God first in all I do. I am assured that in doing so, I will not go wrong and that in all things He will work for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33

"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." Romans 8:28

Do Not Blame God For Our Miserable Lives!

Ever heard of people or even ourselves complaining about life being miserable or that God is unfair?

Grandma called me just now to say that she is angry towards mum because of some unpleasant remarks made against her; that lately she is feeling lousy. I could also sense the tension on mum's side. The animosity between them has been going on since many years ago and it is still ongoing though they are now Christians.

Every now and then I will hear them complaining to me about their lives. Sometimes I am tired of telling them what they need to do.

Many times Christians have this notion that once they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour that life ahead will be smooth-sailing. I think we are kidding ourselves. This does not mean God is not there or real. It is just that Christians, being humans too, are not willing to let the Word of God transform their lives in the areas of their thoughts and actions.

Do not blame God for the miserable lives we have because it is not His doing but ours. Like for grandma and mum's case, their lives would be much happier and pleasant if they learn to forgive one another and not bear any grudge against one another. Yes, it is easy for me to say all these - probably there are deep hurts and scars inflicted but for how long must one bear all these?

To me, this has become a bondage and I believe in the lives of many in this world, there are bondages to be broken and it has to start now. If not, we will never ever be able to be released from the clutches of the evil one.

Grandma and mum need to see the good and positive sides of each other; they need to put the past behind and press on with the present and future; they need to let go of their grievances; they need to put pride aside and eat the humble pie; they need to seek God together in how He can work on their relationship from here onwards.

I also have to say that whatever is happening between them now is affecting another generation - that of mine and my brother's. Sometimes both of us are frustrated and saddened to hear and see them fight. When that happens, we begin to also bear grudges against them for making the family dysfunctional.

I cannot deny that just because of this, my brother once remarked that he will never be a Christian because he sees no difference between us and those who are from other faiths. What a stumbling block we have caused.

Is it God's fault after writing all of the above-mentioned? No! We know what we need to do but we are not! If that is the case, then life ahead will be remain dark and gloomy!

I have no qualms sharing about this because it is part and parcel of the experiences I have to go through on this pilgrim's journey. I decided to write this down because I am frustrated. I cried out to God when will this ever end?

In my heart, I know it will never so long as one is not willing to give in and forgive. Even if one dies and the matter is not resolved, this bondage will remain and carry on to the next generation. I am beginning to see it in my brother's life. Scary but true.

I will continue to pray for grandma and mum. I will continue to let God use me to help them. I am tired of doing this but I pray God will help me persevere.

So the next time we complain to God about our lives being miserable - be it whether we have a quarrelsome family or we hate the school we are in or life is unfair because others passed their exams and we did not, etc... asked ourselves where have we gone wrong and right them from there. If we do not deal with all these, then we will always remain bitter even till the day we breathe our last!

God wants to release us from the pains and sufferings! The question is whether we are willing to allow Him to.

Time for me to get back to my work.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." Romans 8:1-17

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14

It Pays To Wait

Something interesting happened while I was on my way home from work. I was in the train nearing Outram Park MRT Station when suddenly I felt this urge to visit one of the camera shops in Peninsula Plaza. Instead of alighting at Outram Park to change to the North-East Line to head home, I stayed on and alighted at City Hall MRT Station instead.

Before going to the shop I had in mind, I visited a few other shops first to check out the price of a Sigma Tele-Converter 2X for my Sigma 50-500mm lens which I acquired not too long ago to increase the focal length by twice the distance. This is important when I do nature photography.

The price quoted was still high and frankly I was not considering a first-hand set as I did not see the need to spend so much. I also posted an advertisement on http://www.clubsnap.com.sg/ to ask whether anyone is willing to sell theirs for the price of S$150. The cost of a new set is S$350. Yup, I know I am pushing it a little too far asking for such a low price. Anyway, I have been hopeful that one day someone might just sell it to me.

Anyway, I went to the shop that I was prompted to when I was in the train and guess what?! The owner was clearing his Sigma products! He has decided to carry another brand instead. And guess what again?! There was one set left of the Tele-Converter which I was looking for and he gave me one quote - $200.

I was stunned when I heard that and without hesitation we closed the deal there and then and now I am the proud owner of the Tele-Converter! Man! Slightly more than 40% off the original price and it is a new set with warranty! Hallelujah! Truly my prayer has been answered - though not immediately but eventually! :)

It is amazing how God works. I must confess that I can be quite an impulsive shopper - if I have something in mind, I will surely get it in a day or two regardless of whether the price is right or not. Of course I will still go around getting quotations but I know in a short period, the product would be in my hand. This is a weakness that I am still trying to overcome and this condition of mine has improved quite a bit. Praise the Lord!

I think God is still at work with me. Maybe that is the reason why I have not passed my driving test yet - to stop me from having this urge to buy a car once I have that piece of plastic with me! I know I will go check out different car models on the day I passed and the next thing I know, it would be Andy Chew signing on the dotted line of the purchase order form. :(

Frankly I do not need a car to commute and I have also calculated the cost of maintaining one but my weakness may just overcome these logical thinking and cause me to make illogical decision - relative to my needs, that is. Haha.

Now I cannot wait to go to Sungei Buloh to try out the Tele-Converter on my Sigma lens. Well, I shall see which day I have the time to do so - for now, I do not see any slot as yet to fit in this desire. :)

I shall sleep early tonight - I am actually quite tired. I guess I have not recovered fully from the hectic weekend I had. :)

Caught Unaware; The Lion Pounced!

I decided to pack in lunch today so that I can spend the time in office to do a bit of blogging. It has been a great start to this brand new week. Thanks be to God for that.

I have yet to recover from a hectic weekend. Yesterday was a day of feasting for me as I had a wedding lunch reception along Club Street; then it was off to my Godson's parents' place for a time of fellowship; and in the evening we celebrated a dear brother-in-Christ's birthday - a member of the MacRitchie Running Fellowship - at a Peranakan restaurant.

One confession to make though - the experience at the dining place was quite unpleasant. We made a reservation at 7:30pm but food was only served to us an hour later. This was an ala-carte buffet meal and yet the serving was so slow.

Of course our patience were tested and mine came to a point where I had to complain to the senior staff of the restaurant for their bad service. I was peeved - my face was as black as charcoal and as long as the lady's finger (a dish that we ordered). This affected my mood to fellowship with the rest. Though I knew I should practise self-control but in the end I still showed much of my unpleasant colours.

I went home feeling quite lousy as I reflected on the day that had just passed. Throughout the wait and even while the food was served to us, we made a couple of sarcastic remarks to the staff which I thought were uncalled for; we even clapped as each dish is being placed on our tables; then when rice was served to the customers at another table (who came later than us), we got angry about it.

The sad thing was we even said grace - to give thanks to God for our food. Were we really thankful? I wonder.

Anyway, I was rebuked as I sought forgiveness from the Lord. What have I learnt from this incident?

1) Since the group and I had said grace to God for the food, we should have an attitude of thanksgiving rather than anger, impatience, judgmental, etc;

2) Instead of just complaining about the bad service, perhaps I should have asked what went wrong and understand the situation rather than giving the staff this impression that I have the right to prompt service;

3) Instead of making sarcastic remarks and clapping to mock the staff, we should have just thanked them for trying their very best to serve our table as quickly as they could;

4) Lastly, as brothers and sisters-in-Christ, I thought it would be beneficial for us to tell each other not to fall into the devil's trap and instead be a testimony, no matter the inconvenience caused.

Well, food for thought. (No pun intended for that phrase used)

I hope yesterday's incident did not stumble the staff who served us since they saw us saying grace and all.

The next half of this day will be spent on readings.

I shall stop here and enjoy my smoked salmon sandwiches. Yumz!

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8

We Have A Generous Heavenly Father!

I just came back from a wedding coordination assignment for two of my siblings-in-Christ! All thanks and glory be to God for making everything go so smoothly - even for the heavy downpour towards the late morning.

Sometimes even experience like that of a rain is a blessing especially on an occasion like a wedding - in many years to come, I believe it will still be etched in the minds of the couple that on that day when they tied the knot, God sent them rain! It may cause inconvenience, of course (which we sometimes curse and swear) but it is also a part of the overall encounter with our God Almighty!

Of the many weddings that I have coordinated, today's is the simplest but also a memorable one. I am not saying that having an elaborate wedding is wrong but simplicity has its meaning as well.

Why is this wedding simple? There was no torture session for the Groom's Party from the Bride's Party; the Wedding Service was about singing a couple of praise songs to God, going through the marriage vows and after the service, a simple reception.

For the banquet there was no march-in, no Emcee, no change of outfits, no photo montage - just the Couple going up the stage to welcome the guests and announce the commencement of the dinner; it was food all the way with a "Thank You" speech in between - it was heart-warming to see how the Bride thanked her parents and in the process broke down by how good they have been to her. Then came a simple table-to-table photography and next thing we knew the whole event was over. Oh yah, the chocolate dessert was a nose-bleeding experience - very yummy and HEATY! Blood just literally trickled down the nose as you take each bite of the sinful dish. Haha.

The banquet started at 8pm and ended at 10:15pm. All had a great time of catching up, chomping and a satisfied tummy to go home with. Haha.

Well, I enjoyed myself tremendously and I am happy for these my dear brother and sister-in-Christ. For the former, I saw him grow up from a boy to who he is now - may the Lord continue to bless and keep him and his wife as they enter into a new chapter of their lives! :)

Anyway, today is not the end of the celebration yet as there is still another gathering of friends for the couple which I will still be involved in. The whole week has been busy for me but the weekend has made up for it by all the feasting and fellowshipping! :)

I am tired. The bed is calling out to me!

Continue to count our blessings which sometimes can be endless because our God is a generous Father! :)

"I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever." Psalm 145

Soccer Matches May Kill!

Since last night, I only had three hours of sleep. As expected, I succumbed to the temptation of watching the second leg of the Liverpool-Arsenal Champions League Quarter-Final. Initially I wanted to only sneak a peek or two, as mentioned in my previous blog, but when I saw Arsenal scoring the first goal, I was glued to the television screen from then on. Sigh.

Oh yah, I almost could not write today's blog. The reason? I nearly died from several heart attacks throughout the 90 minutes of the match!

When the Reds had to take a penalty to go one goal ahead of the Gunners after they drew level, I was hiding behind a wall - no courage to watch Steven Gerrard attempt the shot on goal. If he had missed, Liverpool would surely have been out of the Champions League for sure due to the away-goal rule. Of course he scored and Liverpool led 3-2. I was contented with that score but of course they made it even sweeter and nicer when another Reds scored the fourth!

I went to bed smiling but I woke up frowning because I was so zombified! Haha!

With my eye-bags as big as two bowling balls and eye-rings as black as charcoal, I headed for office to prepare for the meeting which lasted 5 hours! It went well though! Thanks be to God for that!

I struggled to stay awake at times but of course from the trainings I received in the Drama and Music Fellowship at church, I pretended as if I had 10 hours of sleep the night before! Haha! Kidding!

After clearing some work in office and sending out some stuff pertaining to the wedding that I am coordinating this Saturday, I left for home early to rest.

Not much time for reflection today. I actually have a burden to share but I am still gathering my thoughts and will refrain from writing hastily.

Time to go!

Good night!

Meeting Immediate Needs

The past few days I have this hunch that I will either lose my wallet or mobile-phone or both. It came true just now when I was buying dinner before going to a wake. I dropped my phone while boarding a dear brother-in-Christ's car.

In fact I did not know that it was missing. It was only about an hour later that I realised it. I thought I dropped it in the car - I went to check but to no avail. My brother-in-Christ tried calling my number. There was no reply the first time but at the second try, a gentleman picked up and informed us that he found my phone and it was at the carpark lot where we were earlier.

My brother-in-Christ drove me to the Muslim restaurant along Upper Bukit Timah Road, opposite Beauty World Shopping Centre. The kind elderly man, with his wife, waited patiently for our arrival and handed the phone to me when I approached his car. I thanked him profusely for having found my communication device. He smiled and we went on our way.

As I needed to rush back to campus, I was given a lift by the same dear brother-in-Christ. I was grateful for that as I have a lot of work yet to complete for the presentation and meeting that I am conducting tomorrow.

Anyway, it has been a tiring day at work. Towards the late afternoon I had to travel from the West to the East as I needed to send a dear brother-in-Christ and his family off at the airport. Though sad to see them leave but I am also joyful and encouraged that the Khmers of Cambodia will be blest by their ministries.

Frankly, I did not plan to attend the wake as I knew the amount of preparation not done was super-daunting. In the end I decided to go - work will perpetually be there and it can be dealt with eventually but to comfort a dear sibling-in-Christ who has just lost a loved one is an immediate need that I have to fulfill as a brother-in-Christ.

Well, I guess that is something we have to sacrifice at times - occasionally we have to weigh which is more important. To me, touching a life will always exceed other priorities.

I think I can forget about sleeping early tonight. I can even stop dreaming of watching the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final match between Liverpool and Arsenal at 2:30am later. Sigh.

Anyway, time to go!

Liverpool! I know you can kick the Gunners out of the Champions League! :) Knowing this Andy Chew, I think I will probably sneak a peek or two later when the match commences. Haha!

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:9-21

Be Grateful!

(The right photo is quite comical with three lories standing on top of a sign
encouraging visitors to feed them.)

(The left photo is confusing - as if the heads of the flamingos are all tangled up.
It also reminded me of the idiom, "Birds of the Same Feather Flock Together.")

(Left Photo: I was hoping two of the flamingos will come closer to form a heart shape but they did not. I could not afford to wait for it to happen as I needed to rush back to office for a meeting.)

(Right Photo: I found this plant interesting. Are they flowers? If you look at them intently, they look like birds! Haha.)

(Never knew birds are vain too. :-})

(Nice colours!)

I do not know what got into me - during lunch time I decided to head for Jurong Bird Park (since it is near my office) to spend some time in quiet with God. I also took the opportunity to take some pictures of the birds with my super-zoom lens.

I woke up this morning feeling a little down. It did not help that there were new things cropping up at work which now throw my week's schedules in disarray.

This week will be a super-busy one for me: I have to send a dear brother-in-Christ and his family off to Cambodia tomorrow at the airport; I need to prepare for a major meeting on Wednesday; I have to host a visiting Professor on Thursday; I have a missions forum to attend this Friday evening; and I have to coordinate a wedding for two siblings-in-Christ this Saturday.

As I was looking at my calendar for the week, I had no choice but to cancel a PlanetShakers' concert which I was supposed to help out as an usher. I agreed to do so when a dear sister-in-Christ from another church asked me.

A brother-in-Christ's grandma passed away this morning and the funeral is on Wednesday. I do not know whether I have time to visit the wake at all.

Anyway, I was feeling lousy this morning because last night when I got home from dinner with the MacRitchie Running Fellowship gang, I heard about a quarrel between grandma and mum. It was over a small matter. I had to be the mediator and the frustrating part is there was no reconciliation. It will come eventually but I was expecting one party to give in yesterday but obviously not.

When I was spending time with the Lord and sharing with Him my concerns for grandma, mum, work and ministries, one question popped up - "Are You Ever Grateful?"

Are we ever grateful...

1) That we have a family whereas others in the world do not due to war, famine, etc? (Ever heard of people complaining that they find their parents irritating; that they would rather their siblings dead; etc?)

2) That there is freedom of worship in Singapore whereas in other parts of the world, Christians are being persecuted? (Ever heard of Christians complaining that they would rather not go to heaven because it is boring to keep on singing throughout eternity; that they do not like the praise session of this church or that church; that they find the sermon of a certain church boring; that they have no time to read the Bible when they have the time to watch TV or movies, go shopping and play computer games; that it is such a pain to serve in a ministries; that they do not see the need to evangelise because other Christians are doing it; that they are not going to church because they are busy with work either from school or office?)

3) That we have a school or office to go to whereas others in many countries are unschooled or unemployed? (Ever heard of people complaining that they do not like the academic institutions they are at; that they find their salaries too low; that it is such a pain to go to school or work?)

4) That we have three meals daily whereas many in world are starving - not even having the luxury of having a snack? (Ever heard of people complaining that the serving of the food is too small; that the taste is bad; that they do not feel like eating this or that kind of food for a particular meal; that they are angry with not having what they want and hence throwing the food away?)

5) That we have money to spend on clothes, movies, holidays, etc whereas others do not even have a cent to call their own? (Ever heard of people ranting that they do not have enough clothes; that this country that are going to is a cheapo place; etc?)

I can go on writing but I shall not. Is it not sad that being so blessed to live in a country like Singapore that we are still taking the people and things in our lives for granted? Is it not ironic that God has given us so much and yet we cherish so little?

Well, perhaps many of us need to get a kick in the butt to wake up our ideas; perhaps we need to live in poverty to appreciate the richness of life.

Anyway, it was a time of awakening for me. I prayed after the above reflection and felt better.

I went on to do my photography (for about an hour) - above are some shots I took. It was rather therapeutic listening to the chirping of the birds and observing how they are so carefree, flying around as if there were no concerns in this world.

Thanks be to God for restoring my soul today! I am still in office. I thought I spend some time blogging first before continuing with work.

I guess it is time for me to get on with my work!

A busy week ahead but it will be over soon! God will be my help in time of need! :)

"... give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Psalm 23:2-3

God Always Makes My Day!

I have been out with my students since morning for a photography session to prepare them for a practical examination which is just round the corner. We have had a couple of sessions already and I am happy that they are improving in this skill that they have acquired for the past few months.

Today is also the first time I am trying out a second-hand (actually it is a third-hand and I will explain why) super-zoom lens which I bought yesterday from a kind gentleman. I have been praying for the Lord to provide me this particular lens as I know I would not have bought a new set as it would cost me a bomb. I also prayed for the impossible that the set would be around S$1000.

This brings me to the explanation of why it is a third-hand. When the first owner advertised this lens, his asking price was S$1100. Being a miser, I asked whether he was willing to let it go at S$950. Of course the deal was off and it was sold to another person.

This "another person" was the one who sold the lens to me after only acquiring it for about a week. He is a man in his mid-50s and the reason he decided to let it go was basically due to the weight. The Sigma 50-500mm lens is known as Bigma or Bazooka to those who own it. It is really heavy and he felt that in the long run he will not be able to handle such a big equipment.

When he saw my advertisement, he decided to sell it to me. We made the transaction yesterday and guess how much was the price - exactly S$1K (the amount that I was willing to spend). Thanks be to God for answering my prayers!

It is amazing how this lens can make a tiny object from afar appear so big! I am happy with this purchase and that completes my range of lenses I need to cover from both extreme distances. This lens will aid me in nature photography - one which I have always been interested in.

When I was done with my students, I went to buy a filter for the above lens - again this is God's providence. Yesterday I have been asking around about this filter - some shops told me they have to order because it is a relatively big glass; those that have it quoted rather high prices (all between the range of S$150 to $200). One guy was willing to sell it to me at S$130 (second-hand). Though tempting, I decided not to buy it yet. Well, in the end I went home empty-handed.

Before I slept last night, I prayed again for the Lord to help me find one that is good and cheap. Just now when I went on with my search, guess what? I found one. The brand is reputable (HOYA) and the price was S$85! Praise the Lord once again!

Well, I was happy and contented after making the payment.

On my way out of the shopping centre, I encountered an unpleasant incident though. It was truly uncalled for - it kind of marred my joyful mood but I was reminded myself not to over-react.

Anyway, I was heading for a glass exit to go home. In front of me were three ladies. The first lady opened the glass door for herself and her friends. As that lady was still holding the door, I took the opportunity to make my exit as well. I thanked her as I walked past.

Then I heard her telling her friends, "Thick-skin! As if I was opening the door for him." I turned around and walked towards the lady (I think I startled her when I did that) and apologised for the inconvenience I have cause. I smiled and walked away.

It affected me for a while but I reminded myself not to be bothered by the remark made and also not to hold any grudge against the lady, I prayed for her as I headed for the MRT Station.

From the above encounter I was reminded that we should always be kind and gracious to every one around us even if it means experiencing certain inconveniences on our part and not to say things which may hurt another.

Anyway, it has been an eventful day. All glory to God!

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." 1 John 5:14-15

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe..." Philippians 2:14-15a

Beware! What You Watch May Be What You Will Be!

I just finished watching "Just In Singapore", a Chinese series on Channel 8, which has been running for a few weeks already. I decided to follow up on this to see what comes next. Though entertaining, I was quite troubled by the contents of this TV serial.

It speaks about families which are from the lower income category. That was fine but it was more of what each family does which caused some concerns on my part as a viewer and for the younger generation.

Below are just some examples:-

1) One family has a daughter (a graduate) who decided to severe all relationships with her family just so that she can attain her goals in winning the heart of a rich man's son and also to wealth and status;

2) The mother of that same family showed prejudice against her other daughter (a non-graduate), who sells food at a night market (pasar malam) and sings part-time at the Hungry Ghost Festival concerts - always putting her down;

3) There is another family comprising of a grandmother and her grandson. The grandson is always creating problems for his granny; in a couple of scenes he threatened to beat her up whenever she did not support his wayward habits;

4) Then there is also this family where the parents are loafers and they even encourage two of their three children to cheat on others especially their money. The third child (the eldest son) always tell his family off about their wrongdoings but he was always put down for talking nonsense;

5) Next came another family which has this vat that has a market value of S$5 million dollars. A few series showed how the children fought with each other to get their hands on the treasure, not even caring about the feelings of their parents who own it;

6) Of course the neighbours got to know of the valuable vat and because of that, they resorted to unscrupulous ways to attain it. One scene showed two of the neighbours breaking into a house to steal the vat;

7) Then came a couple of scenes where there was a case of a missing winning 4-D slip. An Indian man in the series lost the slip which had a S$150K winning number. Again, when the neighbours got to know about it, instead of helping the man find the item, they started to covet the man's money;

8) There are also scenes where the wayward grandson started to lust over his neighbour's wife, who is a Vietnamese. It even showed a scene where he drugged her and then had sex with her.

I can write more examples. I am basically troubled by how TV serial like this can actually corrupt the minds of the young and also to advocate that such actions are acceptable.

There were so many cases of dishonesty, theft, lust, adultery, prejudice, disrespectfulness, covetousness, etc and they were all being glamourised!

Yes, I know it is JUST a TV programme and that I should not read too much into it. Sorry. I will not subscribe to that - frankly many cases of deliquency and crimes are caused because of television.

I remembered watching a cable programme where they showed a true story of two young men who decided to rob a bank in Los Angeles because they watched a movie which glamourised bank robbery. They acquired several weapons and off they went to rob this bank. To cut the story short, they did not get the money; they injured more than 10 police officers and 7 passers-by during the shoot-out. In the end, one of the men took his own life when he was cornered and the other died of 23 gun-shot wounds inflicted by the officers.

In Japan, children, at a very young age, take their own lives because they watched television programmes on suicide being the best solution to end their troubles. In that same country, children started terrorising their peers because they were taught that hooliganism is cool through movies.

Well, please do not tell me it is just fictional! The bad influence of television and movies have been so rampant - the thing is people and authorities are just brushing all these problems aside perhaps due to economic reasons. Who will want to watch a goody-two-shoes programme or movie which will not generate high viewership and in turn revenues? "Boring!" and "Not Profitable!", many will cry out.

Anyway, I felt I needed to share the above-mentioned on today's blog because I am just overwhelmed and saddened.

This week so far has been easy-going though not to the point of me staring into blank space and not having anything to do. At least I can breathe better since Monday. Praise the Lord!

I shall end here and go wash up! I was playing with my doggy - she is always licking me whenever we wrestle. Haha!

Good night, everyone!

"A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth." Proverbs 17:24

"We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" — but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:6-16