10 Weeks

Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

SF & I went for an ultrsound scan on our baby yesterday. The heart is beating strong! Praise the Lord! When I saw the hands & feet (with some imagination), I was amazed at God's work.

Then the baby MOVED. Initially, I thought it's because the doctor moved the probe, but no, he says it's the movement of baby. I was excited because I felt he was telling me that he's alive and kicking! I felt a sense of assurance. Anticipating the next visit to the gyne...

YN144 Retreat : Trust -> Empower -> Ownership

This YN144 retreat is one of the best retreats I’ve ever been. Not only it was a relaxing time but I learnt a powerful leadership lesson. On the third day, the groups had to build a sand castle together. I was in Ps William’s group. Although he had done this activity several times, he trusted the group to come up with the design. During the building process, with a little technical guidance, he allowed us to build the sandcastle our own way. We all could sense the trust that he has on us. The members began to take ownership and build gardens, coliseum, football field, canons, beautify the walls… there was no one idling. We took pride in every portion we built. At the end we were proud of it. Then, I remembered Ps Julie’s sharing, Trusting Others will Empower Them. I truly understand this principle during this activity. I felt empowerment when I was trusted with the task of designing the castle. I believed the rest of the members felt the empowerment too when they were given the free play to construct and beautify our sandcastle. I would like to take the sharing even further that: Trust NOT only Empowers but it gives Ownership. It was a simple truth coming alive during the activity.

Cameron Highlands 2007 May

SOWING AND REAPING Part 1

I’ve been pondering on Ps Melvin’s message on 1 Apr on Sowing and Reaping had some insights into this topic. This is one of them….

SOWING is a SACRIFICE

Usually when the farmers sow their seeds, they will always use their BEST seeds to sow because they want to be able to reap the BEST crop the next harvest time. This will mean that they have to sacrifice the best of their crop. Are we sowing the best for GOD?

I have come to realize that as soon as we allow the things we hold on to die it will bear much more fruit. Just like a seed that we have to let go from our hand to land on the soil and let it die. It will not bear any fruit. Is there something you need to let go to let God take over?

John 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

GIVE GOD YOUR BEST!

First Prayer Answered!!!

On Tuesday, during the cell group meeting, we made our list of specific prayer requests and started to pray to the items. I made a list of 12 items. On item 8, I wrote that I wanted God to provide someone to coach me in my singing, FOR FREE. When I wrote it, I thought this must be one of the craziest request in my list. FOR FREE??? Today, one of my customer walked in to pick up her medications and we had a long conversation to sort out her dosages and all. I have no idea how it went into the topic but she mentioned that she sings professionally and coaches too. Of course I siezed the opportunity and ask her some questions on singing techniques. She was very helpful and gave me some tips. Although it was just 5-10mins of teaching, but I GOT MY FREE SINGING LESSON!!! Just 2 days after praying. God is AWESOME! I know this is the first sign that God is showing me that he hears our prayers and more importantly, He is ready to answer if we pray.

We Speak To Nations

Hear the sound

The sound of the nations calling

Hear the sound

The sound of the fatherless crying

Who will go for us Who will shout to the corners

Of the earth That Christ is King

We speak to nations be open

We speak to nations

Fall on your knees

We speak to nations

The Kingdom is coming

Near to you

O we speak to strongholds

Be broken

Powers of darkness You have to flee

We speak to nations

The Kingdom is coming near to you

We speak to you Be free

Hear the sound

The sound of the nations worshipping

Hear the sound

Of sons and daughters singing We will go for You

We will shout to the corners

Of the earth

That Christ is King

Training Progress

It's been 1 week since I started training with J Wong. There much to learn in every session. The exercises he puts us through, some of them really look weird to the people around us. It's been tiring and I feel that I have not got much energy everyday and I have been sleeping very well. It's probably due to the energy sap. I have not seen any changes in my waistline yet but one thing I have changed is that I have been cooking more because of the low carbs, high protein and fruits diet. It's a struggle cos I running out of ideas to cook my 3 -5 eggs in the morning. SF and I have each bought 1 tray of eggs (30) last wednesday and we have finish the first tray already! Have never eaten so many eggs in 1 week in my life. It's hard work trying to get back to shape. Have to get my butt out of the house to the exercise corner more often to huff and puff....

Power of Exercise+Diet+Vitamins

I started taking my multivitamins today again and I felt great today with lots of drive at work.

I stopped taking my multis for the past 4 weeks and was very sluggish and down. I didn't think that it could affect me so much until I started taking them today, again.

I was talking to J Wong regarding the new diet and how has helped my energy levels but I think it's the EXERCISE + DIET + VITAMINS combination that has made a difference.

Hope I can maintain the discipline

Extracted from Ps YC's Blog Look Far in the Vision - Family or Mere Friends? In G12, every person is eventually cornered and faced with this question - "what is family to you?" There is a distinct difference between family and friends. The foundation of friendship is closeness, the foundation of family is commitment. For friends, commitment MAY happen with increasing closeness. For family, closeness WILL develop as we remain committed. In family, mutual responsibility is supreme. Among friends, space for mutual rights is key. We cannot choose family, we surrender to God's wisdom as he "places" us, and we accept our responsibility. We choose our friends, we exercise our rights & determine who they are. Friends are so much safer and fun, after all, less is at stake. We keep our distance. Family is tough, the more we give, the more we are likely to get disappointed. In fact, friends who hurt us are close friends, almost family-like. So if friends are all that more fun and less binding, why do we ever choose families? Why not just have friends and all be happy? Because we came from families. Family gives us an unmovable sense of security - it is where we reproduce and host a suitable environment for the next generation. Friends simply give us pleasure. Nobody reproduces in a friendship. Except maybe among these kinds of friends: We need ONE family, but we can have MANY different friends. We can change friends. Just let them do what they please and we'll find a bunch. But we cannot find families, we cannot decide them. Someone else chose commitment, that's why we were born into family. Kids love friends, developed adults treasure commitment. The number one reason why adults do not want to bear kids is for their personal freedom, their rights - perhaps they did not grow up to gradually give up rights for responsibility -which works out right as well, the kids will suffer anyway if unconditional commitment is not in place. Eventually that generation passes away without descendents, and their influence and impact fades away. As you prepare to look far in the vision, are you ready to accept your place in the family? Start with commitment and soon you'll be the host to lots of happy children. And when they experience what love is (followed by discipline to teach responsibility), we start to see God's kingdom grow. There is never a better time to start than with your family NOW.

江西之旅 - 23 - 28 Feb 2007