Apples of Gold

Tracy:
I love the seemingly "lousy" cloud and the stork that is assigned to it.
No matter how many feathers he loses, how much pain the stork has to go through, and the fact that he could be better off elsewhere, he sticks by the cloud.
The cloud hurts to see the stork go through so much pain and he tries his best to make things better. He hugs the stork to comfort it.

By you alone, it will take a miracle but by together through the work of you Father we'll push till the very end of it.

Nothing compares to the number of lives u'll bless in future than ur current situation. U can do it gracefully.

May God lift u up today and may u find renewal and strength from God ~ Isaiah 40:31. If u need someone to listen, i'll be there for you

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."

- Proverbs 25:11

Thanks for all the encouragement :)

Dis-illusioned

An article extracted from Tim Elmore's leadership blog:

"You cannot be disillusioned about anything unless you are first illusioned."

It's so simple we miss it. Only when I have illusions of what should be; only when I possess expectations of something or someone can I be disappointed in them. Someone who gets disillusioned with God or their career or their family--or anything--and decides to give up on them usually does so because they have an assumption of what should have happened. An expectation of perfection or an ideal model. Then, when that model doesn't appear, they are miffed. Disappointment sets in. Anger emerges. Then, bitterness and resentment and often a desire for revenge. I meet people all the time who are unhappy and disillusioned with their job, with marriage, with God, or with people in general...and they've checked out.

Can I tell you what I've learned over the years? I must cling to hope, but I must have no illusions about life. It is hard. People let you down. Plans rarely turn out exactly the way we imagined them to turn out. Further, when I enter situations knowing life is difficult--I never experience disillusionment. When someone does something nice, I am grateful. When a bonus comes in for me, I treat it as just that. A bonus. It's above what I expected. I work because it is right. I love because it makes life work. I trust in God not just because it is a phrase on our coins but because I have good reason to have faith. I equip people to be leaders because I know that, even though they're far from perfect, they possess some good inside of them that must be nurtured and utilized to influence the world. But I must work to keep it real.

How about you? Have you gotten depressed over an issue? Are you struggling with disappointment? Have you given up on something or someone?
Have no illusions, and you'll won't be disillusioned.

http://www.elmoreleadershipblog.blogspot.com/

It's an enlightening article that makes sense to me. I find myself often getting disillusioned, especially with my performance or when when things does not happen the way I plan or wanted it to be. I get into a self-defeating mode and get bitter over situations, becoming very negative about what is to come. When this happens, I fail to see God in the picture, He becomes some distant being who do not give me what I desire. Contentment is knowing that God has the best for us even when we don't feel that way. Only God can truly satisfies.There is a thin line between faith and idealism.

Take me away

There's a tightness in the chest
That just can't seem to go away
The more I think about it, the tighter it gets
Closing in on me, engulfing me

Suppress, depress, express
or so they say, suppose to make you feel better
doesn't seem to work on me
Probably it's meant to be felt, not to be denied

The feeling so familiar
My saviour knows best, He always does
Take me away, to rest in your presence
Safe and secure

Used versus Loved

USED vs LOVED

While a man was polishing his new car, his 4 yr old son picked up a stoneand scratched lines on the side of the car. In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times not realizing he was using a wrench. At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures.When the child saw his father.....with painful eyes he asked, 'Dad when will my fingers grow back?' The man was so hurt and speechless; he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times. Devastated by his own actions......sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches; the child had written 'LOVE YOU DAD'.The next day that man committed suicide. . .

Anger and Love have no limits; choose the latter to have a beautiful, lovely life & remember this:Things are to be used and people are to be loved.The problem in today's world is that people are used while things are loved.

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character;
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Yanzi's bday cel 2

Yanzi's bday cel

My God is strong and loving

"One thing God has spoken,

two things have I heard:

that you, O God, are strong,

and that you, O Lord, are

loving."

Psalm 62:11-12

Because He is strong, I know that I can rely on His protection.

Because He is strong, I know that He can lift me up in times of troubles.

Because He is strong, I know that nothing is impossible for Him.

Because He is strong, I know that my weakness can be made perfect in His strength.

Because He is loving, I know that He forgives me for all my wrongdoings.

Because He is loving, I know I do not have to fear and can be safe in Him.

Because He is loving, I know He cares for me and meet all my needs.

Because He is loving, I know He will never leave me nor forsake me.

All parts make a whole

It's interesting how life often evolves into parts. Just like the trilogy of a movie or a book. The first one leaves you wanting more - then comes Part 2, 3, 4 and so on. We often hear others and even ourselves commenting, "Oh, I prefer the first part or second part because blah blah blah..." The opinion is always subjective. To a certain extent, for me, there is no better or worse. No part is better than the other, all are just simply parts of the story- just different.

I guess the whole idea is not to make the subsequent parts better or more entertaining but rather, to be able to link tightly, all the parts as a whole so it makes perfect sense at the end of it. And of cos, notwithstanding the fact that continuation is an inevitable constant in all this. Sometimes, things can only be appreciated at a deeper level when we have changed or circumstances becomes different. The shift in perspective and all other factors combined together leads to new understanding. Not becos we have become smarter but that's just how it is.

The ending is just the beginning.

Pris bday cel - lovely dinner and beautiful company

Frozen yogurt with orange guava sauce, red bean and mixed fruits

Saba fish, seafood beancurd soup and $0.99 pancake...yummy (slurp)

"What shall I eat?"

Free flow of side dishes...

It was the side dishes that really made our dinner an enjoyable one. While the main dishes was yummy, but the side dishes was free flow which makes it even better! Isn't that so true of life as well...the constancy of the holy spirit in us that is never ending, at all times. and it satisfies us totally...

A gift from the heart

True friends in all seasons

"A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future,

and accepts you just the way you are."

It has been a tremendously stressful two weeks - emotionally, mentally, physcially. All at once. The third lap now and though not rearing to go, the engine is moving slowly and steadily. I thank God for the blessings He placed along the way even in the midst of the chaos and tiredness. Friends who care enough to put down everything on their hands to be there with me, who show their love and kindness through sincere and genuine concern. Who showed understanding without judgement and allowing me to be myself (at least that's how I felt).

True friends remain so at all seasons in your life :)

Thanks, you know who you are!

Philippians 4:13

One of Steven Curtis Chapman's greatest ballads goes:

I can do all things
Through Christ, who gives me strength.
But sometimes I wonder
what He can do through me.

No great success to show,
No glory on my own;
Yet in my weakness
He is there

To let me know…
His strength is perfect
When our strength is gone;

He’ll carry us
When we can’t
Carry on.

Raised in His power,
The weak become strong.
His strength is perfect,
His strength is perfect.

All tangled up

I need a pair of scissors...

Keep Going!

I received my results for my two assignments today and they are grades apart. Am pretty amazed that an essay which I spent a month doing got me an acceptable grade while the essay I took only 2 days to complete got me an almost very good grade (Could have gotten very good if I did not extend the deadline by a day)...

Comments:
(1) The biggest shortcoming of your assignment is that you did not answer the assignment question. Your essay is simply an appraisal of the session. Fairly soon into things you lose sight of the relational concept under investigation. In these terms you could not engage matters at any level of depth (how do I answer a one-line question with not much illustration using 2500 words and at least 10 references?)

(2) Well done Jasmine, a solid essay, made richer by good use of examples.

Why is it that the affirmation are always shorter than the criticism. Don't they know that it takes 5 encouragement to diffuse one criticism. haha.

Keep going!

Picking up the pieces

The growing up journey has not been an easy one but beautiful, likened to a cocoon breaking out of the wool to become a butterfly. Beautiful in all its imperfections and the picking up of the pieces, one by one. Each piece cuts to the soul but they made me stronger. "What does not kill me made me stronger" and 'I may be down but I am not out" - words that kept me going when everything else was pulling me into the pit. I was on my way to heal, with the greatest healer of all hurts. He is the only one who could close the wounds. The scars remains as a remembrance of God's works in my life and heart. He alone completes.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,"

declares the Lord.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts."

- Isaiah 55:8-9

"Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?" - Isaiah 40: 13-14

God has everything in His plan and He will put the pieces in their places according to His will.

Good bye

Puay Li - The Cheery gal

This picture reminds me of "Elite's model" when they will take away the picture of one person in each episode. Bye, Puay Li...we will miss you.
(From left: Lye Ping, Mansha, Selvi, Puayli, Mrs Yap and Everlyn)

Puay Li and me! :)

Ling and Nancy preparing their farewell speech :P

Wee Kiat, not sure where to put his hand...lol

Snapshots from Sunday

My angelic group

My CG - Uniquely You! It was a night spent with 'angels' :P

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Everyday they continued to meet in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

(Acts 2:42 - 47 )

Waiting can be beautiful

Some pictures I took when waiting at Esplanade...

Waiting can be a beautiful thing too :)

topics for men's conference

I was checking out the men's conference website and came across the polls by the brothers on the topics to be discussed:

Evangelising to Men - why is it so difficult? 8%
How to better shepherd men - Tips & Pitfalls 13%
Why do men join & leave church? What are some things I can do? 13%
How to defeat lust & temptations 18%
Building Christian Male Leadership in my CG/Unit 12%
BGR & Godly Courtship 14%
Building Christ-Centred Household 5%
Men@Work - Christian walk at the work place 6%
Financial Matters 5%
Elisah - role of a sheep 5%
Other: 1%

A glimpse into the needs of the guys in the church... wondering if I were to have one for the sisters, what will it be like? Probably very different I guess :P

Rollercoaster Ride

It has been an eventful week with many emotional upheavals... It's almost like I am going on this emotional rollercoaster: up down up down

Somehow God's blessings is just so evident in all the challenges and times when I am afraid and he just comforts me. His love enables me to do many things and it's like, It must be God becos it's definitely not me. I could not have lasted through. 4 more weeks to go, I need to build my stamina and conserve my energy.

#1: The trip to NUS when I managed to borrow the bks I needed for the assignment and zapped them in time before the library closes...

#2: The tuition that went well and I got to know my kid's inner world and his family better and felt I helped him...

#3: The rainbows which went well, though truly emotional but there was a breakthrough in helping them to make sense of their emotions...

#4: The CG session that went great and allow me to know the uniqueness of each of us in the group. The openess in the sharings and what the people wanna do in the group warms my heart. It will keep me going, to build the wall (Nehemiah) as a team...

#5: The parenting wrkshop which I was so apprehensive about went much better than expected. Thank God for His intervention, he answered all my prayer points and beyond. A stepping stone to something more I can do in this area...

#6: Started off as a mentally challenging day with my lessons and ended off with an emotional night. Lotsa of thoughts and feelings which I have yet to make sense. I hope I can throw away whatever inhibitations and fears and embrace the possibilities with an open heart... as God leads :)

#7: A powerful sermon which resonates with my heart all along, on how the CG can wrk in the team together. Supporting one another in spirit and in love. Love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, soul and strength. Nothing less, nothing more. Watched the kids play soccer at work, it was amazing to see them being so serious about something. I hope to see them through their growth...

Keep going!

Go for it

Come on Jiayan! You can do it!

A bit apprehensive...

a bit excited...

a bit scared...

happening Very soon...

Pray and do my best :)

Depending on Him

The more we depend on God, the more dependable we find He is - Cliff Richards

Shine for him from the inside out

As the sunlight streams in from the window, it reminds me of the warmth of the Lord's love. Yet when I look out and stare at the sun, the powerful glare stings my eyes that I have to turn away.

My thoughts go back to my conversation with June a few days back when she shared with me her reflections from the IDMC conference. She said that God is so pure and perfect that it is impossible for him to fill our cluttered lives. We have to go to Him instead. Indeed, the magnitude of God's love and goodness simply can't be contained.

When God fills us, His love and goodness just overflows. It cannot be contained. We will shine for Him. Just like stephen whose face was like an angel and Moses whose face was so radiant after he has met God and he had to cover his face. Such is the impact of Him living in us!

I am in awe...

It's about me

This is really disappointing...She is so bimbo, "It's about ME!" Oh gosh

A bit faster but a bit painful

Sometimes life just throws us off balance ...plop plop plop... down we go

Thinking that we cannot pick up but lo and behold, we are still going on the right track, nearer to the destination. Just a bit faster, but a bit painful. Ouch!

Keep going!