Funny Things I've Been Hearing

Not sure if its cos of the pretty high amount of work I'm getting in the office that causes me to hear funny things or simply just cos people tend to say the funniest things.

Here's some stuff I've been picking up from conversations with people, from the radio, from hearing how strangers talk amongst each other (er... they were talking really loudly.. not that I was keen in their conversation).

(i) The runners are running. (Hmmm.. I wonder why they're called runners then.)
(ii) This is where the performers perform. ?!?!?!?!?!?!?
(iii) The fire fighters are fighting the fire.
(iv) The hills are very hilly (I heard this from a tour guide on a family tour to the States and it stuck in my head until now! For real!).

Any of u encountering any of such stuff being said above? Hehehe. It kindda tickles me when I hear ppl say it. Hehe.

My Seoul's Delight

So I didn't blog for the entire September and now it's HelllOooo October.

What busy months September and October were.. though October isn't over yet. My schedules are like super packed already.

Went to Seoul in September and enjoyed the time away from my own country to be with my husband alone. Holding hands while exploring new places together is bliss for me. Knowing and discovering a new culture always seem to enlighten the mind...at least for me that is.

One of the pics I like best in Seoul with my husband is this pic I snapped of us at Krispy Kremes, MyeongDong:-

(yeahyeah.. my hand and my reflecting image can be seen... but that's ok. I still like it. Hehehe).

My husband had his first Krispy Kreme in Pusan, Korea and got hooked. He now blames me for introducing good food to him.

When I came back from Seoul, I kinda felt that I was hit by reality. There were so many things that wanted a piece of me or that I had to attend to that I felt that I never really left the country at all or had a vacation in the first place. Amidst the hecticness, one piece of good news and blessing from God was that I got promoted at work. It wasn't simply just the promotion that made me elated.

It was simply knowing that I have a faithful friend in Him - constantly encouraging me, assuring me that His blessing that will come. I know this was all possible because His words came to pass. Also, I know many ppl like my caregroup, my friends and my husband prayed for me and encouraged me too. It's the ppl that walked with me in this journey leading to my promotion that touched my heart the most.

As for the promotion? Well, it's awesome yeah but what I meant to say is.. someone once said for good work done is more work. Lol! There's plenty of truth in that saying.

Anyway, despite the many issues which I have to address at work, at ministry, etc.. I found strength in Him. He made me realise one day being back from Seoul that this is life. This is the reality of life. Ppl do have issues, ppl do have problems, ppl do have needs. But I am focusing on the wrong things. He reminded me that I should place my focus on seeing the joy of ppl experiencing breakthroughs in their situations, issues and not on the problems or the no. of problems or issues I have to address. Almost immediately I felt that He has shed light and shifted my perspective towards the positive end of things.

Though September and October continue to be busy for me... I also realise that living a totally hunky dory life day in day out can be boring and mundane. Hehehe.

So what am I doing here since I am supposedly busy? Well I've been given 2 days medical leave by my doctor today. I'm diagnosed with stomach flu, colic stomach and mild fever. And the doctor said (in his exact words): "You are now contagious. Pls do not share food, drinks, use common plates and bowls and cutlery or cups with your family members and friends". Somehow, his comment made me feel as though I am radioactive and covered with glowing green slime.

Though its stomach flu and the toilet bowl has been my good friend since last night. The ironic thing is there is NOT MUCH CHANGE in my weight. Drats. I shall leave you with a picture I took in Penang. A trip treat to my husband to celebrate his birthday in advance.

(Penang Char Kway Teow. Malaysian Ringgit 6 bucks with 6 big prawns. Something u'll never get in Singapore.. the 6 big prawns at that kind of price I mean.)

Those That Should Be Banned...

Went to the cinema recently and I found myself totally annoyed with some folks. Here are some peeps that I think should not visit the cinema at all and stay home to rent a DVD instead. Hehehe. I know it sounds mean but watching the show with such people can really cause World War III.

Those that should be banned (in no particular order):-

1. Those who crunch their nachos and chips really loudly during the impregnated pause of the show.
2. Those that open their bags of chips and snacks and plastic bags during the impregnated pause of the show.
3. Those that start telling their friends/partners what will happen next during the impregnated pause of the show.
4. Those that stand up in the middle of where they sit to go to the toilet during the impregnated pause of the show.
5. Those that read the subtitles out loudly throughout the entire show.
6. Those that sit near you and keep using their mobile phone to text someone, make a call, answer a call throughout the entire show and the light from their mobile phone is sooO bright in the pitch dark cinema.
7. Those that answer their mobile phone and talk like there's no one else around.
8. Coconut trees - Those who are so tall and yet they sit upright through the show & they block midgets like me from getting the full view of the screen. Hehe. Not their fault.. but I guess too bad? Heee.
9. Those who verbalise everything they see on screen loudly.
>For instance:-
[Screen shows Thai scary preview movie with Thai ghosts speaking in Thai language and with English subtitles]
Loudspeaker to fellow friend:- "A Thai Scary Movie"
[Screen shows preview of animation movie that will be shown in 3D coming soon in Dec'09]
Loudspeaker to fellow friend:- "It's a 3D animation coming in Dec'09] Urgh.... we can read for ourselves, hello!!!
10. Those that keep kicking your seat through the entire show.

Or maybe I should rent DVDs and stay home instead. Hahahahhaa. Hopefully all of you have better encounters at the cinemas than me recently.

Happy National Day, Singapore!

We're 44! And where was I? I was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ... lol. I am patriotic mind you! I pay my income taxes okay!! And I support the government's campaign for a more gracious society in Singapore! I do.. I really do.. I hold myself back until I turn green or a shade of blue and not scold or curse the typical Singaporean who cuts in on me when I am queueing up properly while waiting for trains, buses, anything! See.. that's me supporting the government in it's campaign by being gracious. Lol. =)


Hehehe... I enjoyed myself in K.L recently. Got to know Thomas, Alan much better and caught up with Cara and Mabes. Most of all, I always enjoy time away from Singapore with my hubby. Half of this trip however, the girls and the guys split from each other so that we can 'divide and conquer' the places we want to go. Men = food, drinks, foot massage and more foot massage! Women = Shopping, shopping, more shopping and even more shopping. Hehehe.


Here are some of my fave. pics from the short road trip:-

This is the fountain attraction at Pavilion Mall (K.L's newest mall to date) . It changes colours. very pretty!

This is us at the Pavilion Mall.

Us at the Petronas Twin Towers, K.L. Lurve this pic that Thomas took for us.


Another view of the Petronas Twin Towers.

Okok, enough of Malaysia whilest my blog title is Happy National Day, Singapore! Lol. Well, when I was in Kuala Lumpur, though I enjoyed myself... I must say that I didn't felt it was relatively safe there. I had to make sure that my handbag was not next to the side of the road whenever I walked on the streets. We saw dried blood (not just in drips.. but drips and then led to a small dried pool of it) on our way when we switch trains. Not a pleasant sight indeed.

It's things like these that makes me appreciate the cleanliness, the greenery of Singapore and definitely how safe Singapore can be especially for women. From it's history of being a fishing village to a renowned dot on the map to being able to host F1 racing (first night racing in the world too!) ... I thought it's a pretty big feat that we have achieved thus far in a short span of 44 years. So.. I wanna say.. Majulah Singapura (progress Singapore! in malay). =)

July

July - So many weddings. Our first MustardSeeds' wedding - Mr & Mrs. Loke! And then my colleague's. Ok 2 isn't exactly alot but it felt like it was when it was one week after another. Hehehe. But overall I thoroughly enjoyed both weddings especially Priscilla Gan and Andrew's.

In the month of July, I want to specially thank God for the mini breakthough at work.
Also, I had the first hand priviledge of seeing and experiencing God moved. After the meeting with my UL, the number commited was 5 for outreach for the next half of this year. After I told her 5, I was telling myself I must be crazy!!!! Hehehehe. Somehow or rather, I have no idea why I felt convicted to give the no. 5 then. But I strongly believe that the more impossible for me ... the more possible it is for God and the more it will be a good testimony to God.

I shared that number with my cg and I was very touched that they caught the urgency and started reaching out to their folks. We saw Zann's cousin, also known as Priscilla (there are 3 now in the cg! hahahaha) came to service for the first time last week after hearing so much from Zann.

Prior to the ESS S1aN service which was today, we received that a number of visitors were coming. Though eventually only 1 came, I was still happy because I saw and experienced how God moved and mobilise the cg and cleared the way for even that 1 visitor to come today! Also, Stacy joined us for Cg and service this week. She's a cool chick and it was like a God answered prayer that she joined our cg from AWAM. Now Stanley is no longer the youngest in the group, we have a new "mustardseed". Hehehe. Very thankful for how God moved this week.

Also after service today, we all had a great time catching up over at Macdonald's. Even though after that it was only Stan, JY and Shuping left, we continued to chat and I had a good time talking to them and laughing and all. I would like to think its the effect of Macdonald's reinstating their garlic chilli that might cause this effect. BUT I seriously doubt so and think most likely is the good company that matters! =)

As July comes to a close, I look forward to August, September, and October! I really want to see more of God moving the months to come. It boosted my faith to believe and claim the impossible when our God of all possibilities is moving on our behalf! =) God is moving so swiftly, I want to ride on His wings and enoy that wind!

Happy Anniversary MustardSeeds!!!!!!

Happy Anniversary MustardSeeds!!!!!!

Okay, this post is a tad late considering that our cg was formed in June last year and its 1st of July 2009 today.

Looking back from where we started and where we are now... I am really left in awe of how God bond and gel all of us who are so diversified together as one family. I looked at each and everyone of mustardseeds and I know I've had the pleasure and the first hand privilege of seeing each and everyone grow in their walk with God. For that, I am grateful to God for putting us not by chance or fate or luck but by His wonderful plan together as one family. I hope God will take us deeper and closer to one another as we draw nearer to Him in the next half of 2009.

On a totally separate note now... recently I came across some baby article (before u think otherwise.. pls note that this was really by CHANCE that I came across this short article on babies.. =.=) it was said that if both parents participate actively together in looking after the child, the success rate of the child being confident, happy, filial (something along these lines la.. cannot rem) would be very high.

I told that info to my husband and guess what was his reply? "Oh really? Okay, I will look after our child actively with you too. Next time, I hold the child, you hose it down to bathe it ya?".
=.= After that, I was struggling between being serious and yet I can't help laughing at what he said.

Ever wonder why we aren't having children yet? That's why. Hehehehe.

When Darth Vader Meets Hello Kitty...

My husband and most folks know I have a thing for Hello Kitty... as for him, he has a thing for Star Wars (Most men do anyway.. hehe). So one morning he sent me this...

*source: unknown.. got this from my husband who got it from the web*

The Little Lessons In Life....

March and April went by in a whizz. No wonder I keep hearing older folks say each year passes faster than the previous. I never felt that way until now that I have to agree that saying is true. March was a marvellous month... Birthday surprise after surprise by my husband, my cg mates, my colleagues, my best bud Joan... and most of all by God himself. Reminding me time and again that I am loved by Him. And then there was Taipei - where we celebrated our one year wedding anniversary. Taipei in short was splendid. Time away and alone with my husband always refreshes both of us. Always when I am travelling.. I think about God even more. Strange. Lol.


So came April. And to be honest.. I can't recall anything much for April except the fact that I was involved in the Image Team for the Easter service doing make-up for alot of people. I think that marks the most pairs of eyes that I applied eye liner and mascara on in my lifetime. Lol. The chance to testify God's goodness on stage in church - nerve wrecking! Ohohoh.. and then I was surrounded by my managers one fine day at work (yes, I am not kidding. They came to my desk in a group.. giving me a shock) and the next thing I know, I was coordinating Big Boss' birthday party. I joked to my manager in charge that if only I could have this on my performance appraisal. Lol. =)


Now that we've come to the month of May. Almost half of 2009 is gone. As I was on leave today.. I pondered on the recent things on my mind. And I have decided to blog this entry down again as a reminder to myself of the little lessons in life that I have learned thus far and also to blog down the many swirling thoughts on my mind recently:-

The most precious commodity

• Time. Speaks for itself yet often taken for granted by most. It's amusing and amazing when I read somewhere previously that the average man (and women of cos.. ) spends 5 years waiting. Yes... 5 years. That includes waiting for taxis, waiting for ur friends, waiting for your internet pages to load, waiting to be served at an eatery, waiting in a queue for things, etc. *Gulps* That is quite a lot of waiting time.

The Past, the Present and the Future

• Too many times.. we looked at the past and remininsce the past for too long. We worry about our future and we forgot how to appreciate the present. Too many times (even I myself fall into that) we keep asking the "If Only... " or "What If"... but truly forgot to enjoy the now.
  

Pricked by a single rose

• One time my colleague sent me a powerpoint and what caught my eye on one of the slides which I remember up until today is this lesson:- "It's crazy. We get pricked by one rose and we stopped loving roses altogether." I thought that was a very meaningful message. How often in an attempt to protect ourselves from being hurt again we end up losing our compassion/passion.

Of expectations and standards

• I learned throughout the last few years (especially in the recent years) of how people easily have a set of expectations and standard of how one should live, behave, react, etc. Often when they imposed such expectations and standards on others... I find it very strange that too often the same people who imposed such 'benchmarks' cannot reach these expectations/standards that they set themselves. OR they really hate it when ppl imposed the same on them OR they cannot wait to dish out these expectations and standards YET when it comes to themselves it seems the situations have changed in such that it is okay for them to react differently from the same standards and expectations they imposed cos theirs is an exception case. Through the years, I find that I come across more of such ppl and wonder what gives?! Hehe.

Happiness is a state of emotion ... whereas joy is a daily decision

• At least the above statement/little lesson is applicable to me. Being joyful in the Lord, being grateful to the Lord for the things we have and the things that we've already been blessed with is a decision. When I say this.. I speak for myself. I learned recently that happiness is different from that of joy.. especially inner joy. It is a daily decision that I have to make - to be joyful in the Lord regardless how my day will end. I find that when I make that decision my day is already a much better one already despite how it will unfold. The fact that I am breathing and able... is already a joy that my God has blessed me with.

Turning deaf to negativity

• You may find it strange but I was listening to Gwen Stefani's "Whatcha waiting for?" song and I was inspired by that one sentence sung in her song "Tick tock tick tock.. Look at ur watch now.. u're still a super hot female... ". I know its kinda lame.. BUT I am not saying I am a super hot female. What I am driving at is that sometimes I think it is good to turn a deaf ear to negativities (is there such a word? oh well if not.. I just made up a new word!! *pats my own back* heeeee) that are really bad for us. For instance, after some observations I realised that ppl have this mentality that "oh I am getting older, I better not do this for fear of my bones will crack ... I injure myself... I get hurt... and the list goes on". I'm not talking about serious strenous exercises that will injure our bodies. But I am talking about allowing fear and the "negativities" grip us such that we don't live a fuller life than we should be truly living! I look at Joshua in the bible and in his old age he still wants to fight! How amazing is his positive mind and attitude! I want to have that kind of attitude even as I age! Even George W. Bush senior did an amazing sky diving feat at the age of 80!!! http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-06-13-bush-jump_x.htm

So yes, these are just my little lessons in my life. Things that I have learned and things that are on my mind even mroe in the recent years. =) Okay then.. until next year! Wahhahaha just kiddin.

>>P/S: Special kudos to Shuping who always chases me to blog because without her.. I wouldn't be blogging this entry. So this is just for you. =)

This Is What Doing Life Means...

I am blogging this down as a sweet memory and again to make an altar in my life to remind me of God's goodness.

Last Thursday we had our cg. During P&W, I thought Esmond led well and for me I felt God's presence strong amidst us. After that Shuping & Reina led discussion and thought they did well too considering it is their first time. It was a short but sweet lesson.

But as I read the notes again ... HS brought about a revelation to the notes on intercession, a lot of thoughts and examples came into my mind all of a sudden. He gave me the examples of Jesus at Garden of Gethsmane, He reminded me of Abraham interceding for Sodom, etc. It happened on the spot. After I shared about it, I went home and went .. "Did I just say this???"... God you're amazing.

Afterwich we prayed for each other and Shuping's sharing for me was spot on (Thanks, Shuping! I needed that!).

What was also amazing was that we came together as one on our knees to intercede for others in our cg. It's not about the kneeling down part that was amazing. It's the resonance that everyone had and shared - that everyone was willing and ready to intercede, to stand in the gap for another that was amazing. While praying, I heard the Lord say "This is what doing life means... this is what cg is all about and I am well pleased". I am touched...

God, You brought us this far from being a new cg last year.. bring us deeper to where You want us to be. Bring us closer to Your heartbeat and thank you for showing me time and again that this is what caregroup means.. what doing life together in your Kingdom means.

The Little Things That Mean So Much...

Been meaning to blog about this way before I went to Lombok and cleanly forgot about it.

About a month back, I wasn't feeling exactly enthusiastic towards my life in general. Not sure why and also can't remember why too.

As I was dragging my sorry feet and body home after work one evening, I came back to my lil' lovenest and saw this:-

I noticed that my hubby have been packing the bed and even to the extent of folding our PJs neatly. A smile came on and when he came home that night, I asked him why he even folded our PJs and he said 'to make it feel like hotel so baby (yes, that's madame~ here for u) can enjoy when she comes home from work mah' and he grinned at me.

It's really true.. it's the little things that mean so much.. Thank you, Oonie-chan!! I am blessed to have you and I am spoilt by you!

The silver lining

Recently my husband and I were in the car and we were on our way to somewhere. The skies loomed with dark clouds and the last bits of the sun that was peering out from the surrounding gloomy clouds could still be seen.

It was then, I exclaimed to my husband "Look! Silver lining in the dark clouds!". It was one of the most shiny silver linings I have seen. In fact, I don't recall myself really paying attention to the silver lining which was shining so brightly as the dark clouds continue to block out the sun.

The melancholic in me begin to ponder about life. As I think about my life in general, I discovered that I had the same attitude towards life in certain situations. What I meant to say is that it is also during dark times of my life that I dont pay attention to the silver lining that is still shining ever so brightly in my troubled and sad times.

Perhaps because like the clouds and sky that are so dark during heavy rains and that these dark clouds sprawl fast over the sun, problems and difficult situations too seem to spread out quickly, blocking the good and happy times in my life. Maybe my eyes have been so affixed on the problems and hard times that my eyes cannot see or pay attention to the silver lining in these times.

While I was thinking about all these, it started to rain. The smell of rain always stirs my senses. It was not too long that the rain clouds were blown away by the wind and the sun emerged again. I suppose like flowers, they need both the rain and the sun to be able to grow and I need these ("rainy") times to appreciate the good times, to treasure the happy moments and to be able to grow - well.. spiritually and mentally in these aspects at least.

More importantly, to recognise that my God is sovereign and to press forward and wait for the sun to come forth again in rainy days in my life. It can't rain forever.

Lately, whenever I see dark clouds looming again, the first thing I try to look out for is where is the silver lining. When I spot it, it still is as beautiful. I hope in 2009, I continue to look to God - my silver lining, come what may.