im missing some very lovely people :)

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.”- Psalm 136:1,26

1 Thess 3

6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

my first day in LOGOS CHRISTIAN CHURCH in almost a year :D was definitely great to be back, seeing familiar and new lovely faces :D i made some new friends! the P6's joined us for the first time today too (INCLUDING JODIE!) i've always seen this day as something very distant.. but yess the time has arrived.. jodie's finally in student fellowship (geez im old).. i hope this new chapter of her life will draw her closer to God! the whole family as well :D that'll be super exciting! ((:

youth service was really really good too. we had a super cute and funny guest speaker who talked about living a life of FAITH and LOVE which was really well illustrated with her real life experiences with youths and what they went through in present society.. persecutions while living a Godly life isn't something that we can avoid. it is the cross that we've agreed to take up daily - being honest with schoolwork, choosing church on sunday mornings, not piercing your ear because it breaks your parents' hearts and you love them even when you really want to have a piercing... so difficult, yet so simple. only God can provide us with the strength to stand firm in face of the tempter. and also it is in Him that we have salvation (: Thank You Jesus!

my friend sara ong ting tong is very brave. (: keep marching for Christ, soldier! love you! <3

qinyilim! welcome back! hope msia's been good!

byebye kristi langkawi and janesa langkawi! dont come back looking like lobsters!

i got joy in my heart (:

im meeting prayer buddies minyap and yilin on tues! WOOHOO! yakun kaya toast :D

you know when ur home in singapore when
- u need extra effort to breathe in the humid air
- the toilet flushes automatically in public places
- there are mama shops all around
- u smell the familiar fragrance of nasi lemak, hokkien mee etc etc
- your room is still very packed with ur stuff, ur mum's stuff, ur dad's stuff, ur sister's stuff
- your many years friend strolls into your apartment when u just woke up

:D

Lord, please help me to focus on what needs to be done and spend my time here meaningfully!

hmmm..........................................................................................................

the sun will come out tomorrow

(:

at least i have an umbrella on my rainy day

God, please help me... where's the rainbow?

it isnt very long to the next exam.

neither is it very long to the end of exams

:D

learning to put worries aside because i have Christ in my vessel, so i can SMILE AT THE STORM :))

God knows me well. He knows that internet can be my best friend and worst enemy, so He sent me to ongtingtong's home (=curtin student housing) and it was major concentration plus information cramming non stop for like 3 days :) and we had peaceful hearts when we went for our neuropsych exam heehee

i was looking for excuses to not go for my exam.. hahaha ongtingtong (she has a new name: sara ong hot dog) made these splints for ORTHOSES & HAND REHAB, which i'll be doing next year. interestinnggg. i like the black one a lot.. it's my favourite thing in her room.. well maybe the guitar first then this splint. my routine when i enter sara's room: first to the guitar, next, put on the black splint haha.

but then my finger became stripey cus i strapped my fat finger too tight and it couldnt breathe

i really hope i can remember everything i've studied not just for the exams but forever and ever and ever and ever. i shall laminate my beautiful colourful notes. everytime i look at them, i don't really read it.. i think i spend more time admiring its beauty. hurhurhur

MUST BE A GOOD OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST TO HELP SERVE PEOPLE! GOD LOVES EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!!!!

:D

November 14, 2009
Joy In The Midst Of Grief
ODB RADIO: Listen Now DownloadREAD: Ezra 3:10-13
The people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping. —Ezra 3:13
After only a few art lessons, 10-year-old Joel decided to try his hand at painting a flower. By looking at a color photograph of a Rose of Sharon, Joel was able to paint a beautiful mixture of blue, purple, red, green, and white. This made the flower, which had been photographed on the day Joel’s aunt died, seem to come to life. To the family, his painting symbolized a bittersweet mixture of feelings. While it provided a lasting reminder of the loss they had suffered, it also carried a celebration of Joel’s newly discovered artistic gift. The painting gave joy in the midst of grief.
When the people of Judah returned to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon, they too had a bittersweet experience. As they began rebuilding Solomon’s temple, many in the crowd sang songs of praise. At the same time, some older people, who had seen the beauty of the original temple that had been destroyed by war, wept aloud. We are told that “the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping” (Ezra 3:13).
Grieving can be like that. While there is sadness in looking back, it also includes a promise of joy in trusting God for the future. Even in a devastating loss, we have this hope: The Lord provides joy in the midst of grief. — Dennis Fisher
We sorrow not as others do,Whose hopes fade like the flowers;There is a hope that’s born of God,And such a hope is ours. —McNeil
Even in the bleakest times, Christians have the brightest hope.

jeaaannniieeeee aahhhh why you so stoooppiiiddd!!!!
aiyoyoyoyooooooooooooo
gong tutu mong chacha!!!

a lifetime's worth of laundry was piled up on my parents' bed, waiting to be folded and put back into my shelves for the longest time ever. finally they got to go back to where they belong after a long long time of procrastination. but then again, sorting my laundry and vaccuuming/sweeping the house was also procrastination. hehehehe im going round in circles!! im talking to jodie right now and she just threw me her powderful bombastic chinese four words: (i tried to copy n paste but it didnt work) wen1 gu4 zhi1 xin1. WOAHHHH. my baby sister... its so difficult to be cleverer than you nowadays hehehe.

i like the fact that my house is getting cleaner slowly :D and that kristi lives nearer now :D

AND AND i just restocked my refweegeelatorr MEHEHEHEH with youtiao(!!) tangyuan (!!!!) thai fish cake (!!!!) meat balls (!!!!!!) wegeetabers!!!! mantou!! good shtufff :)

i need to write down impt shtuff so i can remember..

celebrated choochootrain's girly bday at hanami and met new friends on wed, went to kings park and the city lights were so pretty :D and suling shared her testimony with me when i was sending her home... God never fails to amaze :D

took over choochoo's babysitting job on thurs morning at whitehousecommunitychurch. MATTHEW IS THE CUTEST AND BIGGEST 2 YEAR OLD IVE SEEN! he melts peoples' hearts very easily!

God spoke to the JEANmuggers (sokjhin, jeanyi, jeannie) on friday morning through devotion and reminded us to love and offer hospitality without grumbling :)

joined murdoch for thanksgiving on friday night and sally lee, an OCF supported missionary came to share with us about how God called her to missions. She is one devoted disciple, i must say.. i was very touched by her mime to the song "Lord, I offer my life". i always have this tendency to sing without thinking but her mime was bringing the words into life and challenging my thoughts of what it meant to offer my life to the Lord. it was also a great encouragement to see people sharing and thinking back to when i first met them, knowing that they have indeed grown so much in the Lord.. it's like watching flowers bloom or plants bearing fruit :) it's a great motivation to perservere in OCF's ministry of reaching out, building up and sending back!

Saturday afternoon i met harry and it was love at first sight. hehehe harry is Mez's new puppy. I WANT HIM!!! and i met little elisa (a human) who's probably almost 2, who keeps "patting" (more like whacking.. the way toddlers cant fully control their movements smoothly) harry and asking him to "SIT!" and squeezing harry, asking for "CUDDLE!". awwwwww. her cheeks are extremely chubby and she was so happy that day.. she's such a beautiful little darling who loves wearing everyone's shoes hahhaa.

Saturday evening i went over to uncle joseph's and auntie evelyn's for dinner. they had some family over and the HOHOs were there too :D their grand niece, nicole, 8 was such a lovely girl! i pray that God will speak to her through her bible and the song that she tried to learn on the piano.. :)

This morning God amazed us once more through the generous hearts of the people at Subi church when we took up a love offering for OCF convention. It is really heartwarming to know that there are people out there who are so supportive of this ministry! WE SHALL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE LORD WITH PASSION!!! :D

Galatians 6
Doing Good to All

1Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.
6Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

i think i have a phobia of receiving phonecalls from angmoh ladies now.

the last time i sent a message to the CEO instead of a staffworker of this organisation by accident and got told off.

now everytime i receive a call from an unknown number or hear an angmoh lady's voice my heart just starts pounding faster and faster.

ITS A PERMANENT SCAR hahahaha

got my new passport! i look like a freaking chipmunk/hamster but oh wells. ahaha.

i really thank God that it got done.. the lady said i wasnt supposed to smile in the photo (and i obviously was smiling like an idiot), then she went to check with her manager and her manager said i wasnt smiling AHAHHA (IT WAS SO OBVIOUS I WAS SMILING LA!) *phew* if not it'd been the third time i'll have to take the passport photo.. THANKS, BUT NO THANKS.

anyway, QT today was quite a thought provoker.

Bondservant of Jesus

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . . —Galatians 2:20

These words mean the breaking and collapse of my independence brought about by my own hands, and the surrendering of my life to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me up to this point three hundred and sixty-five times a year, but He cannot push me through it. It means breaking the hard outer layer of my individual independence from God, and the liberating of myself and my nature into oneness with Him; not following my own ideas, but choosing absolute loyalty to Jesus. Once I am at that point, there is no possibility of misunderstanding. Very few of us know anything about loyalty to Christ or understand what He meant when He said, ". . . for My sake" ( Matthew 5:11 ). That is what makes a strong saint.
Has that breaking of my independence come? All the rest is religious fraud. The one point to decide is— will I give up? Will I surrender to Jesus Christ, placing no conditions whatsoever as to how the brokenness will come? I must be broken from my own understanding of myself. When I reach that point, immediately the reality of the supernatural identification with Jesus Christ takes place. And the witness of the Spirit of God is unmistakable— "I have been crucified with Christ . . . ."
The passion of Christianity comes from deliberately signing away my own rights and becoming a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Until I do that, I will not begin to be a saint.
One student a year who hears God’s call would be sufficient for God to have called the Bible Training College into existence. This college has no value as an organization, not even academically. Its sole value for existence is for God to help Himself to lives. Will we allow Him to help Himself to us, or are we more concerned with our own ideas of what we are going to be?

we always hear about having to "discover yourself" or "BE yourself" and "find out who you are", "search for your identity", but surrendering yourself to Jesus means finding identity in Christ alone and nothing else, because isn't that what we're living for? To glorify Him in every context and circumstance and trusting in His provision and deliverance?

i realised that surrendering isn't as easy as i thought it'd be.. for one of my units in school, we had to clock 30 hours of service learning with a person with a disability and by the time the last week of school came, i was tired, exhausted and so over it, but i was 5 hours short. i got my timesheet signed and was contemplating adding a few hours here and there so it would have added up to 30hours altogether before i handed it in because i was feeling desperate and oh-my-goodness-get-me-out-of-here-i'm-done. what shocked me was my ability to rationalise my actions so quickly when just a week ago i was saying it was a dishonest act and i would not do it. i made up reasons like- i can include travelling time, i have no more time, im too busy, there's nothing else i can do etc., to make myself feel better and giving myself a valid reason to alter my timesheet. after breakfast with serene and jerm that day, i started to feel increasingly guilty when driving home. is it really the best way to resolve the matter? isn't it equivalent to lying? how can i teach my kids in sunday school not to lie when that is the very thing im doing? how can i expect to be an example in OCF if im not glorifying God with my actions? how can God be glorified in this very sin i'm committing? then another voice went: "but there's nothing i can do, reallly.. i just want to hand it in and forget about it, the end", thank God that we can pray to Him anytime and anywhere, and He listens and answers. I prayed that He'll show me a way out, one in which would be honest and glorifying to Him. He showed me that I could email angus for an "extension", and complete it this week, and so I did, and was granted an extension. THANK GOD. surrender- it's not about making life easy for yourself, but living your life as a worship to the one who loved you and died for you so that you could be forgiven. it's so easy to veer off track and make up reasons and excuses to comfort yourself, but so often the areas are either black or white, no grey-unless we smudged them ourselves.

in saturday-sunday school, chris was illustrating the point of being SALT AND LIGHT in the world with a torchlight which could not be turned on. we unscrewed it and found a piece of paper on the battery which said "i was lying", so we removed it and tried again, but it still didnt work, so we unscrewed it again and found another piece of paper saying "i was rude". we got rid of that too and tried again... finally the torch was shining brightly! it really hit me hard and taught me that when sin gets its way into us, we can't shine God's light, because God doesn't tolerate sin. Thank God for chris! everytime she comes to teach, i feel like i become one of the kids, because i learn so much! :)