The beginning,
1. Of a new hobby.
2. Of a new hobby-kaki.
3. Of a new friendship with an old friend. :)
4. Of the start of freedom from night/weekend classes.
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
All grace that we need, has already been given to us. But no amount of grace is sufficient, if we do not have the attitude of thanksgiving. Because while grace is the gift, thanksgiving is the way by which we receive the grace of God.
God is able to make all grace abound toward us. He is able. But are we willing?
Give thanks, in tough times. Give thanks, for tough times. Because through tough times, we learn;
1. In pain of misunderstanding, we learn the importance of communication & trust.
2. In seemingly unceasing projects, we discover we are not alone; together as one, we persevere & overcome.
3. In exhausting overtime at work, we learn to search our hearts & souls to find what is important to us, prioritise & make a change.
4. In times of doubt & disbelief, we lean upon God's grace to carry on in faith & patience.
Through thanksgiving, the worst things that have happened in our lives become the defining moments that shape our character.
Through thanksgiving, our history is rewritten; we are not victims of circumstances but victors & overcomers.
Through thanksgiving, what we go through makes the better tomorrow that we will live in.
Through thanksgiving, we can turn our scars into stars.
Give thanks & grace can abound in our lives the way God has promised us.
Question is, will we?
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Any Dream Will Do
Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
I closed my eyes, drew back the curtain,
To see for certain, what I thought I knew.
Far, far away someone was weeping,
But the world was sleeping, any dream will do
I wore my coat
With golden lining,
Bright colours shining,
Wonderful and new,
And in the east, the dawn was breaking,
And the world was waking, any dream will do.
A crash of drums, a flash of light,
My golden coat, flew out of sight,
The colours faded into darkness, I was left alone.
May i return, to the beginning,
The light is dimming, and the dream is too.
The world and i,
We are still waiting,
Still hesitating,
Any dream will do.
A crash of drums, a flash of light,
My golden coat, flew out of sight,
Colours faded into darkness, I was left alone.
May i return, to the beginning,
The light is dimming, and the dream is too.
The world and I, we are still waiting,
Still hesitating, any dream will do.
Any dream, any dream, any dream, any dream will do.
****
So much to say, so little time, so little energy.
Seems like things are really heating up at work; got to double up & improve my efficiency & productivity. I'm really glad for the encouraging colleagues & opportunities but...
I closed my eyes, drew back the curtain,
To see for certain, what I thought I knew.
Far, far away someone was weeping,
But the world was sleeping, any dream will do
I wore my coat
With golden lining,
Bright colours shining,
Wonderful and new,
And in the east, the dawn was breaking,
And the world was waking, any dream will do.
A crash of drums, a flash of light,
My golden coat, flew out of sight,
The colours faded into darkness, I was left alone.
May i return, to the beginning,
The light is dimming, and the dream is too.
The world and i,
We are still waiting,
Still hesitating,
Any dream will do.
A crash of drums, a flash of light,
My golden coat, flew out of sight,
Colours faded into darkness, I was left alone.
May i return, to the beginning,
The light is dimming, and the dream is too.
The world and I, we are still waiting,
Still hesitating, any dream will do.
Any dream, any dream, any dream, any dream will do.
****
So much to say, so little time, so little energy.
Seems like things are really heating up at work; got to double up & improve my efficiency & productivity. I'm really glad for the encouraging colleagues & opportunities but...
Monday, May 13, 2013
Your Grace is Enough
Only when we can be broken to God, can we be open to others.
So many thoughts, I'll just pen them down.
****
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace & not of evil, to give you a future & a hope.
This week marks the start of the trial in court. For some, the significance or impact might not have come to us yet. For others, we might already be feeling the heat, of well-meaning questions that become too probing. Or perhaps we're struggling with pressures at work or adjusting to a new chapter in life. Whatever it is, there seems to be some form of upheaval in our lives.
Yet the Bible says that God wants to give us peace, a future & hope.
In the best of our struggle, God longs to give us peace. To be better instead of bitter.
Remember Joseph, who was sold to Egypt? God's deliverance didn't come in the form of stopping the pain & removing the struggle. God's deliverance came in the form of His continuing Presence throughout the period beginning from the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers, his enslavement & time in prison & even to his rise to power & eventual reconciliation with his family. "And God was with Joseph," was repeated at least 3 times through this period in Genesis 39:2, 21 & 23.
Just as God was with Joseph, so God is with us. In this time, let us believe & seek God for His peace that as described in Philippians 4:7, "guards our hearts & minds in Jesus Christ".
****
Prepared this message on WhatsApp group chat while waiting to conduct training but didn't manage to send it in time. Later on, the insecurity & self-doubt took over. What if no one receives it well? In principle, I am convinced that I am only the messenger, that whatever response given is between the respondent & God.
But life is not about theories; the emotions (of fear & self-doubt) are so incapacitating. And I struggle.
____
I'm really thankful for Victor & the book he gave me, The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions.
The title is really misleading; it is way more than just about transitions, but about the space between our Egypt & our Canaan. Our previous comfort zone & the Promised Land. The land between is harsh. It is a desert & it is suffocating. If we are not careful, we can meltdown into despair & anger.
But the land between is also the choicest land for transformational growth. Because we are refined as gold through the fire of trials. And the land between, the wilderness has plenty of that.
Just got to remember that God is with us & like the burning bush, we will burn but if we hold on to Him, we will never burn out.
____
Thankful for that time spent with Aaron, Louisa & Chan Tong. It was an unlikely combination, but I'm really thankful for the shared times together. Even though we have our challenges & struggles, we can be open to one another.
With them, I feel I can let loose, there isn't much fear.
That friendship can be this easy & carefree.
____
Thankful also for the time with Marc & Rhoda, as they prayed & ministered to me. That I can be open during my prayer about my insecurities. I try to be strong, but that's exactly the problem. God doesn't need perfect, empowered vessels. All He asks, is that we are open to Him.
With God, all things are possible.
____
I'm really impressed by Joseph the son of Jacob. Going through all that pain, suffering & yet still finding enough in him to love & forgive those who have hurt him.
I'm sure the pain must have been phenomenal.
But the real miracle, I feel, is that Joseph can trust God enough in those painful situations to let go & let God. It must have been quite a struggle. But each time, he resisted temptation (Potiphar's wife) & stood steadfast in believing God & doing the right thing.
And God delivered. Sometimes God allows us to encounter pain so that we will turn away from our mistakes. But many times, this pain is wasted, when we choose to go our own way. I pray that I always turn back toward Him.
And I want to be like Joseph, achieving success but always with the purpose that God had intended in mind; to reign over his brothers in love, generosity & compassion.
____
It struck me how much, in the past 4 months I have chased success & excellence only to lose the entire meaning of it all by giving up peace & joy.
I knew I wanted success, but I never knew I needed peace & joy as much as I now know.
I went about talking about the purpose I've found in God, but forgot about the person I was to become in the midst of the process.
Life should be like this; Appreciating others & being appreciated. There can be no fulfilment if there is no love.
____
Some experiences in our lives are there as lessons. I believe the emotions I am going through this season, is for a lesson. What comes after, I have no clue & neither do I want to mull upon.
But what I do know is that God has great plans for me & He has the right person for me.
In the right time, of course.
____
If I had a say in things, I would love that the cell group be strengthened & bonded.
Dear God, I believe You will see us through.
So many thoughts, I'll just pen them down.
****
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace & not of evil, to give you a future & a hope.
This week marks the start of the trial in court. For some, the significance or impact might not have come to us yet. For others, we might already be feeling the heat, of well-meaning questions that become too probing. Or perhaps we're struggling with pressures at work or adjusting to a new chapter in life. Whatever it is, there seems to be some form of upheaval in our lives.
Yet the Bible says that God wants to give us peace, a future & hope.
In the best of our struggle, God longs to give us peace. To be better instead of bitter.
Remember Joseph, who was sold to Egypt? God's deliverance didn't come in the form of stopping the pain & removing the struggle. God's deliverance came in the form of His continuing Presence throughout the period beginning from the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers, his enslavement & time in prison & even to his rise to power & eventual reconciliation with his family. "And God was with Joseph," was repeated at least 3 times through this period in Genesis 39:2, 21 & 23.
Just as God was with Joseph, so God is with us. In this time, let us believe & seek God for His peace that as described in Philippians 4:7, "guards our hearts & minds in Jesus Christ".
****
Prepared this message on WhatsApp group chat while waiting to conduct training but didn't manage to send it in time. Later on, the insecurity & self-doubt took over. What if no one receives it well? In principle, I am convinced that I am only the messenger, that whatever response given is between the respondent & God.
But life is not about theories; the emotions (of fear & self-doubt) are so incapacitating. And I struggle.
____
I'm really thankful for Victor & the book he gave me, The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions.
The title is really misleading; it is way more than just about transitions, but about the space between our Egypt & our Canaan. Our previous comfort zone & the Promised Land. The land between is harsh. It is a desert & it is suffocating. If we are not careful, we can meltdown into despair & anger.
But the land between is also the choicest land for transformational growth. Because we are refined as gold through the fire of trials. And the land between, the wilderness has plenty of that.
Just got to remember that God is with us & like the burning bush, we will burn but if we hold on to Him, we will never burn out.
____
Thankful for that time spent with Aaron, Louisa & Chan Tong. It was an unlikely combination, but I'm really thankful for the shared times together. Even though we have our challenges & struggles, we can be open to one another.
With them, I feel I can let loose, there isn't much fear.
That friendship can be this easy & carefree.
____
Thankful also for the time with Marc & Rhoda, as they prayed & ministered to me. That I can be open during my prayer about my insecurities. I try to be strong, but that's exactly the problem. God doesn't need perfect, empowered vessels. All He asks, is that we are open to Him.
With God, all things are possible.
____
I'm really impressed by Joseph the son of Jacob. Going through all that pain, suffering & yet still finding enough in him to love & forgive those who have hurt him.
I'm sure the pain must have been phenomenal.
But the real miracle, I feel, is that Joseph can trust God enough in those painful situations to let go & let God. It must have been quite a struggle. But each time, he resisted temptation (Potiphar's wife) & stood steadfast in believing God & doing the right thing.
And God delivered. Sometimes God allows us to encounter pain so that we will turn away from our mistakes. But many times, this pain is wasted, when we choose to go our own way. I pray that I always turn back toward Him.
And I want to be like Joseph, achieving success but always with the purpose that God had intended in mind; to reign over his brothers in love, generosity & compassion.
____
It struck me how much, in the past 4 months I have chased success & excellence only to lose the entire meaning of it all by giving up peace & joy.
I knew I wanted success, but I never knew I needed peace & joy as much as I now know.
I went about talking about the purpose I've found in God, but forgot about the person I was to become in the midst of the process.
Life should be like this; Appreciating others & being appreciated. There can be no fulfilment if there is no love.
____
Some experiences in our lives are there as lessons. I believe the emotions I am going through this season, is for a lesson. What comes after, I have no clue & neither do I want to mull upon.
But what I do know is that God has great plans for me & He has the right person for me.
In the right time, of course.
____
If I had a say in things, I would love that the cell group be strengthened & bonded.
Dear God, I believe You will see us through.
Friday, May 10, 2013
It's Been Awhile. :)
Thought I'd restart penning down my life, long after the blogger crazy has died out.
The good thing is, I can be pretty plain about things.
Dear 2013, you've brought my hopes & dreams up, dashed them to the rocks & shattered whatever the first 24 years of my existence has taught me about life.
I've hurt so much, grown so much, learnt so much over these past 4 months & yet my life feels so much more out of control. But thanks to God, I have hope.
E.g. When I started my first full-time job, I've always thought that sales, marketing & networking was not for me. That working hard, being responsible & conscientious, getting my promotion & starting a family was more than enough. Salt & Light 2012 shattered that perspective. Face it, wherever we go, we market & position ourselves to be of value & form networks that strengthen each other.
Now, I'm looking 5 years ahead, where do I want to be? To:
1. Get my degree - Bachelor's in Communications & Psychology - Got my provisional acceptance already; I start in July!
2. Start my very own social enterprise (Motto: Just Because You're From a Broken Family, Doesn't Mean You Have To Be a Broken Person) - Work in Progress, this is why my current job is perfect for development. More to come as I plan how things are going to work!
3. Complete my Professional Diploma in Human Resource Development - 2 more modules, thank God for the company sponsorship! While the course isn't mind blowing, the perspectives & thought processes developed will go a long way to developing & achieving my goals.
4. Start to serve in Children's Church - I never knew I'd consider a move till that dream of starting my own social enterprise. But I'm going to need the experience interacting & understanding children if I want to make a meaningful impact in their lives.
5. Love my family more - The first 4 goals so far are measurable, the rest will generally be harder to quantify or be of more intrinsic value. But having it here & always on my mind is a good reminder each day. Nowadays, I regularly drop by Dad's restaurant to help him with Facebook & other IT stuff & to share his burden. Running two restaurants, battling personal problems & dealing with an increasingly aging body really is tough. & for Mom, the transition is & will be tough, & I want to be there for her as much as I want to be free to live my own life. How do we balance?
6. Start investing for my future, Financially, Spiritually - 2 years in army, retaking my 2nd FYP & investing 1/2 year in SOT, brings me to a total of 4 years "lag" behind the average Singaporean girl my age. To catch up, I've got to quadruple my effort & be focused about it.
7. Within the year, help 2 people achieve their short term goals - this one, is tough. I haven't gotten about really accomplishing it because of my tight schedule, but believe me, I'm working on it.
8. To be a blessing to the people around me - Think I'm doing well on this point at least in the market place. Just yesterday, this really kind new colleague came to me & thanked me for encouraging, guiding & spending extra effort on her, giving me a cake which she said was, "for my mother, who must be so blessed to have you." I'm flattered, but I hardly count myself worthy of that compliment; we're all learning & trying to love better. I guess it just resonated with me, when people step out of their comfort zone & really try their best; you just want to lend a helping hand. But I believe that just as we were once given a chance, so should we extend that chance to others. Sometimes we just got to speak up & show that we care.
9. Been slackening, picking up, slackening on my personal promise to God to make that 500km total run by the end of the year. I'm now only at the 110km-ish mark; Been like that since the start of April, I believe. Need to get my health up & start running!
While work has been quite punishing mentally & physically, I thank God for this moulding. Us Gen Y people have noticeable weakness in getting distracted or getting emotionally overwhelmed & letting that affect our work quality. Yes, yes, I know work is not everything. But let's face it; work takes up a great majority of our life & if we don't get it right, we're going to be miserable the majority of our life. So my goal this year, is to get it set in the right direction so I can focus on my studies come July.
Looks like things are heating up. Really nervous. And excited. And nervous.
Just... a little bit more nervous.
The good thing is, I can be pretty plain about things.
Dear 2013, you've brought my hopes & dreams up, dashed them to the rocks & shattered whatever the first 24 years of my existence has taught me about life.
I've hurt so much, grown so much, learnt so much over these past 4 months & yet my life feels so much more out of control. But thanks to God, I have hope.
E.g. When I started my first full-time job, I've always thought that sales, marketing & networking was not for me. That working hard, being responsible & conscientious, getting my promotion & starting a family was more than enough. Salt & Light 2012 shattered that perspective. Face it, wherever we go, we market & position ourselves to be of value & form networks that strengthen each other.
Now, I'm looking 5 years ahead, where do I want to be? To:
1. Get my degree - Bachelor's in Communications & Psychology - Got my provisional acceptance already; I start in July!
2. Start my very own social enterprise (Motto: Just Because You're From a Broken Family, Doesn't Mean You Have To Be a Broken Person) - Work in Progress, this is why my current job is perfect for development. More to come as I plan how things are going to work!
3. Complete my Professional Diploma in Human Resource Development - 2 more modules, thank God for the company sponsorship! While the course isn't mind blowing, the perspectives & thought processes developed will go a long way to developing & achieving my goals.
4. Start to serve in Children's Church - I never knew I'd consider a move till that dream of starting my own social enterprise. But I'm going to need the experience interacting & understanding children if I want to make a meaningful impact in their lives.
5. Love my family more - The first 4 goals so far are measurable, the rest will generally be harder to quantify or be of more intrinsic value. But having it here & always on my mind is a good reminder each day. Nowadays, I regularly drop by Dad's restaurant to help him with Facebook & other IT stuff & to share his burden. Running two restaurants, battling personal problems & dealing with an increasingly aging body really is tough. & for Mom, the transition is & will be tough, & I want to be there for her as much as I want to be free to live my own life. How do we balance?
6. Start investing for my future, Financially, Spiritually - 2 years in army, retaking my 2nd FYP & investing 1/2 year in SOT, brings me to a total of 4 years "lag" behind the average Singaporean girl my age. To catch up, I've got to quadruple my effort & be focused about it.
7. Within the year, help 2 people achieve their short term goals - this one, is tough. I haven't gotten about really accomplishing it because of my tight schedule, but believe me, I'm working on it.
8. To be a blessing to the people around me - Think I'm doing well on this point at least in the market place. Just yesterday, this really kind new colleague came to me & thanked me for encouraging, guiding & spending extra effort on her, giving me a cake which she said was, "for my mother, who must be so blessed to have you." I'm flattered, but I hardly count myself worthy of that compliment; we're all learning & trying to love better. I guess it just resonated with me, when people step out of their comfort zone & really try their best; you just want to lend a helping hand. But I believe that just as we were once given a chance, so should we extend that chance to others. Sometimes we just got to speak up & show that we care.
9. Been slackening, picking up, slackening on my personal promise to God to make that 500km total run by the end of the year. I'm now only at the 110km-ish mark; Been like that since the start of April, I believe. Need to get my health up & start running!
While work has been quite punishing mentally & physically, I thank God for this moulding. Us Gen Y people have noticeable weakness in getting distracted or getting emotionally overwhelmed & letting that affect our work quality. Yes, yes, I know work is not everything. But let's face it; work takes up a great majority of our life & if we don't get it right, we're going to be miserable the majority of our life. So my goal this year, is to get it set in the right direction so I can focus on my studies come July.
Looks like things are heating up. Really nervous. And excited. And nervous.
Just... a little bit more nervous.
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