Jesus challenged people

How apt, as we are faced with some challenging situations where there are folks that we love, but we dunno how to love them.

a paradigm shift!

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Monday, November 30, 2009
Jesus challenged people
by Rick Warren
We should consider the good of our neighbor and build up his character. Romans 15:2
This Christmas season, I want to encourage you to become a people-builder. It is a gift you can give someone that will last forever.

The Bible encourages us to do this in Romans 15:2, where it says, "We should consider the good of our neighbor and build up his character."

The key to building up people is kindness -- giving them what they need and not what they deserve. When you consider the way Jesus built up people, He did three things: challenged, encouraged, and spoke honestly.

Today, we’ll look at how Jesus challenged people to be all God made them to be. God doesn’t want you to waste your life!

Challenge your family and friends to live beyond themselves and to discover their strengths and abilities. God has given each of us some special abilities, and he wants us to use them to help each other. We’re to pass on to others God's many kinds of blessings.

We all need somebody who will help us discover our gifts and who will challenge us to develop, strengthen, and use them. You can play a critical role in this way by helping the ones you love to discover their strengths and abilities, and then challenging them to use them.

And, help them understand how special their gifts are – that we will all miss out on a blessing if they don’t use the gifts God has given them. It’s like a singer who never sings; we miss out on the blessing that would come from hearing the voice. We are meant to be a blessing to others.

Birds @ Hawker Center

These days, the convenience of finding different menu at one place has extended to our animal kingdom. These birds are happily feeding off the leftovers from a noodle store, a roasted meat + rice store, fruit juice and what seems like mutton soup store as well.

There's at least a dozen of these birds chirping loudly to nudge another bird off their food and chomping down hungrily.

Please folks, eat up all your food or return the trays/bowls/plates filled with leftovers to the stores rather than allowing these aviary feasts.

The clip was cut off abruptly because one of these birds who got rustled out of the feast was looking for another feasting table... and guess whose lunch it was eyeing? MINE! That bird was moving towards ME! While I was still seated on my table, eating my food. They are indeed getting bolder!

The clip was cut off in time from my scream too hee....

Goodbye Godpa SC

Learnt many lessons tonight as I celebrate the passing of Godpa SC with his family & friends.

Yes, the word is celebrate. Because as much as it is our earthly loss of Godpa SC, it was much more of Jesus's gain. We believe that Godpa SC is in a better place, right in Jesus's house. A place where every christian longed to be. And he got there first before us.

Hearing the eulogies from various members of the family was enlightening, as they shared about how Godpa SC played pivotal roles in their lives. Memories of Godpa SC came flooded to my mind.

I remember how lovingly he always looks at his wife. Even after a 2hr conversation over dinner. Yes, even if he was silent during the entire dinner, he'll be looking at her with such loving gaze.

I remember his cheeky smile before his cheeky comments.

I remember how gentlemanly he was, at 80yrs old, he'll pamper a young lady like myself by opening the doors, or pulling the chair for me. Usually with a cheeky comment that follows.

He's got eyes that sparkle like a child which totally goes along with that active mind that churns out cheekiness.

He's got a fatherly charm that is hard to resist. One which I wished I had more of, but definitely grateful that I have a share of.

I get to see how many lives he's touched by simply rejoicing in God's love. Its amazing.

How not to love a man like him?

How not to miss a man like him?

Kungfu class has started!

Around the neighborhood

We were taking a walk around our neighborhood and found some interesting sightings.

We came across this mini-nursery, racks were filled with numerous potted plants. Almost feel like we are back to the wild, got that jungle feel to this tiny area of our neighborhood.

And guess who has been keeping watch to ensure the "safety" of these plants?


yep, doreamon... hahahaha
CUTE

There was this void deck that was filled with delightfully colored pillars. I cant help but to go around them to check them out. Colors + cute pictures = eye-catching!


Turns out that they are painted by a group of youths that has a club near this void deck!

Definitely a great use of talent & energy!


PLUS, it helps to give gentle reminders to the neighborhood too!

Love it!

Then something more disturbing came to sight. We just changed the railings leading to the central. From the trusty & rusty iron railings (that served us for as long as I can remember), they were changed to lighter, cheaper aluminum ones. They do look more modern and sophisticated. But in less than 1 year, I have seen numerous thief of these railings, causing more replacements = increased cost!


The efforts to remove this piece must have been foiled... I hope the person is caught and sentenced! This is certainly public property! And it is important part of the pedestrian pavement that thousands transcends daily. What if there were elderly folks who were leading on these railings for a rest and with the weaken structure, falls into the drain behind it? It'll be disastrous!

Last but not least, these potted plants has been residence of our neighborhood for a few months. Perhaps due to lack of care or improper maintenance. They never really flourished since day 1. With the regular monsoon rain, they have also became a breeding ground for mossies!


I took this picture over the weekend. I told myself that if by the 1st working day, these pots continue to be flooded, I will go speak to the owner of the shops that seems to be the ones "taking care" of these pots. Thankfully, by late morning on Monday, these pots were cleared away! The shop has also seems to ceased operations. At least they were mindful not to leave a mossie breeding ground behind! Goody!

It's been a fun walk around the neighborhood!

Till the next time!

God Is Stronger Than We Think

Indeed God is truely stronger than we think!

Thank God for that!!

Last week, I was at a new pit bottom low with my emotions. I questioned how can God let me feel so so so low. I felt abandoned. Not neglected, but abandoned.

The pain was intense. And so was the recovery!

God filled up my life over the next few days. I have the most unbelievable weekend.

My doubts in God has been answered through and through.

Thank you Lord. For you are my Saviour. My strength grows through you and you alone.

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November 04, 2009
God Is Stronger Than We Think
by Jon Walker
"I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13 NIV).

This guest devotional is by Jon Walker, author of 'Growing with Purpose.'

We're not as strong as we think we are, but God is stronger than we think.

You become strong through God's strength. His strength enters your life, delivered by the Holy Spirit--Jesus within--and the more dependent you are on God, the stronger in him you become. In our weakness, he is strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

"I can do everything . . . " doesn't mean, 'Now that I'm a believer, I'm strong enough to do everything and anything for God.' Your own testimony can attest to the fears and failures related to such thinking.

The strength of "I can do everything . . . " comes through God, who gives you the strength you need for each day. Your ability to "do everything" is wholly dependent upon him because your strength is dependent upon him. It's not a strength you work up to by pumping iron with emotional or mental barbells.

Strength comes from submission. The thing you do that may require the greatest strength is to submit yourself completely to God! But God is "working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him" (Philippians 2:13 NLT).

Strength is linked to faith. You believe in faith that God is giving you his strength; and so, in faith you can act in confidence, knowing the strength is there: "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength" (2 Timothy 4:17 NIV).

Jon Walker is the editor of The Purpose Driven Life On-line Devotionals. You can find him on Facebook at 'GraceCreates' with Jon Walker. This devotional is copyrighted 2009 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

All Soul's Day 2009

2nd of Nov is designated as All Soul's Day.

In the catholic community in Sg, this is a day where all gather in church to pray for those who have passed on. Somewhat like the hungry ghost festival in the chinese community, just that its condensed into 1 day instead of 1 month. And more environmentally friendly too! No need to burn paper in the air.

My first personal experience with death was when grandpa had an heart attack at home. And I was there. Young and ignorant me have no idea that he had an attack. His sudden passing brought great shock and sorrow to all of us at home. It was my the first time I witness a chinese funeral with all its works! Taoist monk chanting a few times a day. Some times requiring all family to sit on the mat. Some times the monk and his group will chant seated on tables. Not around, but ON the tables. The most memorable part of the funeral was the effort to bring my grandpa's soul through hell and into heaven. Got crossing of a bridge, hecking through hell, the taoist monk's real kungfu was displayed in a 2hr ceremony. We had to hang around grown ups to understand what the taoist monk was doing. It was a real eye-opener.

There were parts of the funeral procession that really evoked deep grief from us. Grandpa had an open casket in the most traditional chinese form. Like what you would see in the chinese "jiang shi" (chinese vampire) movies where its solid wood, lid is a one piece heavy wood that requires nails instead of a simple lock. It was so heavy that it required more than 8 men to carry it. When the monk was nailing to seal the coffin, every knock on the giant metal nails wedged a hole in my heart.

PONG PONG PONG
felt like someone is actually hitting my heart too. Grieve was created physically.

When my dad passed away suddenly of heart attack 3 yrs ago. Grieve wasn't physical but internal. It felt like a heavy weight in my heart for a long long time. There were days that I wondered what it'll be like if he was still around. There were times when I wished that he was still around.

Yes, daddy you've been missed dearly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCzQ4ZSy7Og

But what can we do about those who are deceased?

We can pray for their soul to be in place of peace on this All Soul's Day.

All Saint's Day 2009

All Saints Day is a special day for me.

And for us too.

8 years ago, a very despondent me, tired from what seems to be endless cycles of family disasters, sat on a pew in church.

Seeking hard. Praying hard.

Praying for God's guidance. Praying for a breakthrough. Praying for a miracle.

He must have heard me loud and clear. Because He spoke to me loudly and clearly too!

That night, I made a very important decision to follow His words, cannot go that wrong with God's words right? In church some more leh!

I made the decision to trust in the Lord completely. He say this man is the one for me, I believed in Him wholly and solely. That night, I opened my heart out to a man, who is totally different from me. A man whom I've met for barely 2 weeks. A leap of faith indeed. Today, I'm happily married for 6 years, all thanks to that one evening that changed my life forever.

There must be tonnes of angels around me that night. I felt so much love!

It was a rough journey leading up to this year's All Saint's Day.
I felt rejection. I felt abandonment. I felt alone.

And again, the grace and peace that I've experienced is far beyond my wildest imagination!
I have not laughed so hard for such a long time. My jaws were aching from 4hours of non-stop laughter.

I believe that the angels are out again in full force for me this weekend to bless me with such a wonderful time!

Thank you angels, you are really my angels!

Thank you Lord, I want to live in your embrace forever!