Batam trip, here we come!
First time with the CG :P :P :P
A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.
Freshness
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Set aside time for a personal retreat
The ending of a year always brings much food for thought and reflection of how we have been spending our time. It's also a time to set aside time to seek God for new direction for the year ahead and renew our spiritual stamina to prepare ourselves for what is to come.
Tips for a successful personal retreat day:
1. Schedule it
2. Leave the emails and unfinished tasks on your desk. Delegate them or leave them till you get back.
3. Don't hold it at your home. Find a place with few distractions.
4. Plan it along the way. Jot down notes and ideas, write down scriptures that stirred you. Pack a book or two. Bring a list of past goals you want to revisit. Bring along something fun to read.
Below is the account of Wayne Cordeiro as he relates the experience of his personal retreat at the monastery:
(I can't help but laugh at the part when he said he drank 6 cups of coffee at one go! Little do we realise how reliant we are on these artificial products to keep us going day by day, to the extent we become addicted to them)
I returned to my silent cabin to have my devotions but for a boy from the city with encrusted habits, silence can have its limits, I found that in this monastic retreat there were no Internet hookups, no cellphones, and -worst of all- no coffee...how can I do devotions without coffee and a muffin?
By about the fifth day with the monks, I started feeling my oats again. I was tiring of no coffee, no Internet, no phones, and no talking. I needed a break from the silence...I decided to make my escape...at least for one day. I needed civilization. I needed caffeine!
I drove slowly out of the compound... Over an hour later, my cell phone revived and welcomed me with a beep and I had voicemail waiting. Within minutes, I came to the beautiful town of Carmel- and to an even more beautiful Internet cafe. The heavens had opened! I drank six cups of coffee, answered all my waiting emails, and sent notes to loved ones...I even wrote to people I don't know.
(From Leading On Empty by Wayne Cordeiro)
Tips for a successful personal retreat day:
1. Schedule it
2. Leave the emails and unfinished tasks on your desk. Delegate them or leave them till you get back.
3. Don't hold it at your home. Find a place with few distractions.
4. Plan it along the way. Jot down notes and ideas, write down scriptures that stirred you. Pack a book or two. Bring a list of past goals you want to revisit. Bring along something fun to read.
Below is the account of Wayne Cordeiro as he relates the experience of his personal retreat at the monastery:
(I can't help but laugh at the part when he said he drank 6 cups of coffee at one go! Little do we realise how reliant we are on these artificial products to keep us going day by day, to the extent we become addicted to them)
I returned to my silent cabin to have my devotions but for a boy from the city with encrusted habits, silence can have its limits, I found that in this monastic retreat there were no Internet hookups, no cellphones, and -worst of all- no coffee...how can I do devotions without coffee and a muffin?
By about the fifth day with the monks, I started feeling my oats again. I was tiring of no coffee, no Internet, no phones, and no talking. I needed a break from the silence...I decided to make my escape...at least for one day. I needed civilization. I needed caffeine!
I drove slowly out of the compound... Over an hour later, my cell phone revived and welcomed me with a beep and I had voicemail waiting. Within minutes, I came to the beautiful town of Carmel- and to an even more beautiful Internet cafe. The heavens had opened! I drank six cups of coffee, answered all my waiting emails, and sent notes to loved ones...I even wrote to people I don't know.
(From Leading On Empty by Wayne Cordeiro)
Friday, December 11, 2009
God, be my holding ground
Many thoughts flying past my head, it's just one of those times in life. You allow the thoughts and images to run, a never-ending pursuit. Life, what a simple word. It encompasses the many things that simply cannot be contained in a mere 4 letters. Thousands of quotes can hardly qualify its true meaning. The events which happen all at one go, sometimes leaving you breathless and your heart fluctuate with varying, intense emotions. Marriage ceremonies which brings hope, happiness and sweetness, the news of death which brings sadness, heaviness and sorrow, the hectic rehearsals which brings anxiety and anticipation, close friends who are absent which intensifies the need for connection, support and understanding, the awaiting of the interview and year to come which bring anxiety, fear and expectancy....and more.
With so much activity going on inside, the holding ground better be strong enough to contain them.
I prayed to God for all the above and more. Only He can contain them.
Father, please replace my strange and scary dreams with blissful sleep.
With so much activity going on inside, the holding ground better be strong enough to contain them.
I prayed to God for all the above and more. Only He can contain them.
Father, please replace my strange and scary dreams with blissful sleep.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
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