This Christmas

I want to be UNDIGNIFIED!

I will dance
I will sing
To be mad
For my King
Nothing Lord
Is hindering
This passion in my soul

And I'll become
Even more undignified than this
Some may say, "It's foolishness"
But I'll become
Even more undignified than this
Leave my pride, by my side
And I'll become
Even more undignified than this
Some may say, "It's foolishness"
But I'll become
Even more undignified than this
Than this

La, la, la, la, la, HEY!
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, HEY!
La, la, la, la, la

It's all for You my Lord!

Great to be back!

Blue skies for Day 1, stepping out of Crown Jewel Hotel

Refreshed is the girl who just came back from Penang. The trip was great!! Alright even though I fell sick on the last day carrying a box of Kleanex everywhere I went, it was great! The food. The company. The whole trip.

Here's a photo of the company! Carolyn, me & Yvette!

My notions of Penang, before I went, was that it was more of a kampong, not so urban place. Which, if you overlook the endless rows of condominiums, hotels, shopping centres, would be quite right. I mean it's not Singapore or KL but it's urban in its own right... and less polluted (which was fantastic).

Expected to do more beach activities there but our direction became more land-based. We didn't even step foot on the beach! Still, sightseeing was great! We took the buses around the island, walked a whole lot, ate & shopped.

The trip has changed my personal outlooks on things somewhat. For one, I've learnt that my feet have the ability to take me for long long walks under hot weather conditions just to find & eat the most famous Penang Laksa. We literally walked for nearly an hour!! Walking down Penang hill and making a V up another street coz' the stall was located near a temple opposite Penang hill. It was crazy! But we were blessed to chance upon stairs & stairs of shops leading up to the temple which gave really good prices!

Another was the great search for Penang's famous Tau Sar Piah shop - Him Haeng. The Haeng family actually has a few outlets calling themselves Seng Haeng, Kim Haeng etc. but Him Haeng is the Mother of all shops & sells the freshest Tau Sar Piah, made on the spot. Our sources came from all the people we met in Penang haha! We literally dragged boxes of it in a huge rice bag from Penang to KL to Singapore. Never thought local delights could be this heavy!

On a whole, I thank God for making this trip so enjoyable, for the people He has brought to us & for keeping us safe & well going there & travelling back even though for a moment we thought we were left stranded in KL. Haha!

So I'm back, refreshed & excited! Christmas is coming! Glory to our new born King!

On my way

to Penang!

If you're reading this at 10pm on a Tues night, I'd already be on the first coach out of here! Been waiting for this trip like for ages. Going with my chums from TCD (inspired by all of us wanting a vacation somewhere soon). No idea what's in store & this would technically be my first Asian trip, parent-less, so kinda excited & yet on high alert.

The rainy weather in island SG hasn't been of much encouragement to the days leading up to the trip. Praying hard weather will clear there & we'll get plenty of sun for beach activities. Also hoping to cross over to Langkawi for a day trip! Forecast says it's showers with thunder over several areas but oh God... please be merciful! Haha!

Past week has been busy (as usual). Think most memorable & relaxed day would be the Carehut Family Camp'07! The best out of it all was the fellowship with my colleagues & seeing the children break out of their shell. Really think that the unfamiliar environment does miracles in revealing a child's character. Placing 35 kids in NIE all split into groups outside their usual click. Yup. Definitely out of their comfort zone. Fantastic! Anyways was really happy to see some of the kids take up leadership after all the months of being overshadowed by others.

Hmm... there are actually plenty of updates but I'm kinda lazy to type them all down. Haha!

End.

Have a blessed week! =)

It's been a while... hasn't it?

About over a month? Ya.

Sincere apologies for not updating this site. I'm assuming people have given up coming by haha. No worries! I understand :)

The days have been getting busier & more complicated & the fact that I'm just plain lazy to update doesn't help. Don't get me wrong. Busier & complicated in good ways. Although there were episodes of distress & anguish but more so good days.

Really appreciating a sunny day nowadays in SG. Past weeks it's been raining 3/4 the week. Last Fri we took the children out to Sentosa for Underwater World & beach games. Praise God for great weather! Think Underwater World has shrunk. Don't remember it being so small & squeezy. Or maybe it's because the last time I was there I was about 90cm high which equates to more surrounding space. Now? I'm 170cm, wider & take up more space haha!

Sentosa's attractions are still great with the new additions here & there, their standing information people from China, loads of over-priced local delights & man-made beaches... I sound quite pessimistic don't I? Alright. Change tone. On a whole, it was great!! Will post up some photos of the beach games soon. Little children with their faces covered in flour. Soo adorable!

Alright gtg. Will try my utmost best to post more often. Not that I guarantee it but ya. Cheers to a great week ahead!

Awaiting the week

Alright, so Monday starts off early with collecting the airtickets for Krabi, meeting my cousin to catch up, afterwards off to ECP for a short drop-by fellowship time with my colleagues, then to Raffles city to collect my gown, then home, leaving around 4:30pm for ceremony registration & finally back home to pack for Tuesday's departure.

How eventful it will be haha. Anyways, a lot of things have been going through my mind lately. Seems like my prayer time has extended significantly because of all the 'agendas' in my head.

Let me share a bit. Just had a good conversation with my dad. With the ceremony tomorrow, he was looking back at the whole overseas experience for me. Think God really pulled my family through the whole 3 yrs. If not for His grace & strength I think, we wouldn't have made out the journey whole. Then he asked me this, "If you could do it again, what would you change this time?"

"Nothing." Ok, maybe study Social Work and have marketing & the media as a minor haha! but ya... overall I think the whole experience was fantastic. Those 3 yrs marked the transition for my mother from me being her baby girl to a grown woman. It marked a new trust & bond with my father. Most importantly, it marked my growth as a person in Christ & in ministry. Praise God!

Really looking forward to Krabi. More so because it'll be a good time of rest & refreshing taking time off just for God. Also, it's been a while since I've traveled with family & this time it'll be just me & my dad so it'll be great quality time spent with him. My mum couldn't take off school so she'll be staying behind.

Yup... would appreciate if you could keep my family in prayer during this trip, especially for my mother at home. She's not one to be left alone.

Till Saturday,
Adios!

Gone is my computer

Alright... so my laptop's totally gone coz my hard disk became faulty. CRY!!! The servicing centre said about 90% of my data will be lost... CRY!!! All my photos & music.... Anyways, lesson learnt... don't neglect on backing up stuff. So with the computer gone for hard disk replacement, I've got no means of online connection at home. Which equates my inability to check emails/updates frequently.

Well, guess I can live without technology for a 2 weeks. On the brighter side...

Quick updates,

1) My graduation ceremony's Mon (15/10) at Raffles Convention Centre!
2) Will be away from 16/10-19/10! Family holiday in Krabi!

Take care & have a blessed week ahead!

To India & back.

Today I took my off in lieu of CCSS Awareness day! Gosh... really welcomed the break. Monday evening I could "see" myself smiling all the way home, knowing today I can sleep in & do what I want to do apart from work.

I love my work. But I also need a break. So! In need of on-my-own time & adventure. SarahJane decided to be a little unlike-sarahjane by taking the NEL to Little India. Walked out Buffalo Rd & Gosh the smell. Before you jump to conclusions, it was the invigorating smells of a gazillion spices.

What made me go to Little India in the first place? Honestly? I say this without regret. Threading. Ok, guys reading, bear with the girl talk for a minute.

Friends have been telling me about threading since I learnt magazine model's eyebrows weren't perfect but perfectly tweezed. So yesterday night I googled threading in Singapore & a whole new world unraveled. A world of 5mins cheap painless eyebrow shaping haha. Since I had the time, I thought I'd go see-see myself!

And so she went.

It was quite cool! The threading ladies did it in style & really quick. Great service, great business environment, great price with great results - I had to give it a go. So in 5mins, for $7 (initially it was $5 but with the Gst increase it rose) I threaded my brows for a (I quote Ms Mushroom Lim) "cultured" arch. Not that I had much brow to begin with but we shall not go there ah... NEXT!

Walked a bit ard the nooks & corners of Little India & loved it! The colourful sights, sounds, smells... makes me wanna take up photography as a hobby & act like a tourist! Will definitely remember to bring my camera when I decide to venture there on foot again.

Headed to Vivo City after that episode. Spent 3hours of the afternoon strolling through shop after shop, soaking in the sentosa view (was quite tempted to hop onto the train there but in jeans?? Nah...) Bought a few things, just because I'm in a big spacious shopping centre. And I highlight, bold, caps, italicize SHOPPING centre.

It was an eventful day. Would definitely do it again. Maybe this time I'll cross over to Sentosa! Yay!

P.S. HEROES IS BACK!!!!

Under currents & Heart Pangs.

1:13am & I'm still wide awake... sighs.

Past few nights I haven't been sleeping much. Too much clock-work in the head.

Spent most of the day packing up the remaining unshelved "homeless" things into boxes & labelling them. Felt like moving house all over again. Later in the day, went to Children's Aid Society to visit a recently ex-ed carehut student. Family woes & abuse.

Always knew social work would be tough, both physically, emotionally, spiritually. Well knowing this, didn't prepare me for experiencing it first hand. When I ponder over stories of children going hungry & eating a dead guppy out of the school fish tank, of abuse kids, of broken families, to some extent, they become real stories made surreal. Story-telling conveniently allows the listener to tear but not weep, wake up the next day & the following days to come, shelfing the memory for charity events.

Basically my point is, experiencing first-hand leaves a lasting impact compared to hearing it second-hand. I apologise if I sound harsh. We all have hearts & we're all living in reality.

This case, my first serious social work case, tugged hard at my heart. I'll admit. I cried the night upon hearing the news that she'll be sent to CAS. I felt her pain listening to her express her feelings, seeing how she's trying so hard to be strong for her father. She's just 9 years old.

Finally got to see her today with our social worker, my colleague. At least we made her day, visiting her at the home. Will never forget her wide pearly smile. The home has a cosy environment. They cater to children requiring care and/or protection whose parents or family members are unable to provide care or to supervise them. Still it's nothing close to home.

After the visit, was sharing my feelings with MX, my colleague, how this whole case caused me to question my readiness, emotionally, to be in social work. She said that sometimes there's transference of emotions from the child to the caregiver. Think it's true for me.

We look but do we actually see Singapore's under currents?

Bring on the expats!

Today was "Make PT Carehut's Day" day!!

Std Chart sponsored us with money for new cabinets, games & essentials as well as organised their up-level mgt to come paint the external of Carehut! Never seen so many expats in one place sweating in the hot sun, moving & cleaning furniture, painting butterflies & trees & drinking endless bottles of Coke.

Ok because I'm tired, I'll make this short. It was fantastic! Now PT Carehut looks refreshing & inviting!! It's really more so a second home for the children & myself now then ever before! =)

Thank you Lord, for the people we meet,
Thank you Lord, for the food we eat,
Thank you Lord, for the sun shining bright,
Thank you Lord, for everything! Amen.

*pause, think*

"God wants you to move through this day with a quiet heart, an inward assurance that He is in control, a peaceful certainty that your life is in His hands, a deep trust in His plan and purposes, and a thankful disposition in all that He allows. He wants you to put your faith in Him, not in a timetable. He wants you to wait on Him and wait for Him. In His perfect way, He will put everything together...see to every detail...arrange every circumstance...and order every step to bring to pass what He has for you."

- Roy Lessin

Why do we...

Love?

This whole month's going to be about love.

d'Klub - our character development curriculum has just started with the children & what better place to begin than with love.

4 little letters that combine to form mankind's most complicated word.

Even at cell, we're talking about love & how apt that the skit below shows us the perfect example of love. Real true love.

We love because he first loved us.

I cried when I first saw the video. It was so intense & true from start to finish. Watched it a second time to get my thoughts together & watched it a third with the context of the people in my life.

Indeed God, you love the person I may not like as much as you love me. And because of that, I will learn to love.

Lifehouse's Everything Skit

To the Summit & back!

Apologies for not updating sooner.

Two words, Fun! & Work!.

Day One:

Left PL at 9:30 instead of the planned 8:45am coz' ppl were caught in traffic. The ride was a sleepy one for me (so not a morning person). Finally got a M'sia chop in my new passport after 5/6 years (Yes, it's been that long). JB hasn't changed a bit. The customs building on before crossing over was new & refreshing. It definitely beat the customs building after crossing over.

Arrived ard 10 at The Zon Regency hotel. Nice on the outside, smoky on the inside. Seems like everyone smokes everywhere there. *Refer to definition of Cigarette below*

Session 1 started out with sharing our motivations for the Summit. Majority mentioned getting-to-know the new ppl better (6 newbies including myself), fun, rest. I said R&R and soon enough presentations for SWOT got pushed up from S2 to S1 & Carehut was first up!

Ok think I'll not stick to the template of Day 1, Day 2 etc. Basically coz I've got a 7:30 work schedule & I'm sleepy so let me just give you the gist of it with highlights.

The whole Summit was fun & expanded my knowledge of the good work of various departments in CCSS but came back more tired than before - 2 late late nights & 3 early early mornings plus 5, 3-4 hr sessions of saturated info-overload work-related discussions & presentations. The sessions made the in b/w ice-breaker games the hot chocolate fudge on ice cream.

Food was alright. Liked the BBQ dinner on the 2nd night. The rest of the meals were hotel buffet.

The surprised Teachers' Day tribute made me shed tears & I finally got to watch Freedom Writers!!!! in the movie presentation. That was the brownie-below-the-ice-cream-and-hot-chocolate-fudge-on-top highlight in terms of programme. Really have to watch it if you've not seen it.

Was really touched. Felt honoured & encouraged to do more in working with the kids.

All in all, it was great! Got to know CCSS staff better oh! and how to end a fantastic weekend retreat than for me & my roomie to loose both our keys on the last day. Haha! Seriously, it was freaky.

We both had a key for ourselves but somehow, after going down for breakfast on the last day (Sun), going through a whole last session before lunch, did we then realize when we had to check-out that our keys were missing!

It was weird. I remember taking out the key & placing it in my wallet & MX (my roomie) checked the breakfast voucher paper pocket & I confirmed that her key was together.

Caused a bit of anxiety at first but it was a good laugh all the way home.

Night!

Musings

This came from an email. My picks: Cigarette, compromise, tears, smile, Father, boss, etc..

Oxford Dictionary's latest Definitions

Divorce :
Future tense of marriage .

Cigarette :
A pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at
one end & a fool on the other.

Lecture :
An art of transferring information from the notes
of the Lecturer to the notes of the students without
passing through the minds of either

Conference :
The confusion of one man multiplied by the
number present.

Compromise :
The art of dividing a cake in such a way that
everybody believes he got the biggest piece.

Tears :
The hydraulic force by which masculine will-power
is defeated by feminine water power

Dictionary :
A place where success comes before work.

Conference Room :
A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and
everybody disagrees later on.

Classic :
A book which people praise, but do not read.

Smile :
A curve that can set a lot of things straight.

Office :
A place where you can relax after your strenuous
home life.

Yawn :
The only time some married men ever get to open
their mouth.

Etc. :
A sign to make others believe that you know more
than you actually do.

Committee :
Individuals who can do nothing individually and
sit to decide that nothing can be done together.

Experience :
The name men give to their mistakes.

Atom Bomb :
An invention to end all inventions.

Philosopher :
A fool who torments himself during life, to be spoken of when dead.

Diplomat :
A person who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you
actually look forward to the trip.

Opportunist :
A person who starts taking bath if he accidentally falls into a river.

Optimist :
A person who while falling from Eiffel tower says in midway
"See I am not injured yet."

Miser :
A person who lives poor so that he can die rich.

Father :
A banker provided by nature.

Criminal :
A guy no different from the rest . . . . except that he got caught.

Boss :
Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.

Politician :
One who shakes your hand before elections and your confidence after.

Doctor :
A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you with his bills

Off to JB

CCSS Summit is here!! Yays!

We leave this morning & be back Sunday arvo! Think I'll be snoozing on the bus... haha! Did a quick pack last night & got this feeling I've forgotten something coz' of the size & weight of my bag... Anyway.

Prayer request! Am currently sick (got drenched in the rain the other day), nose has been overwhelming since I woke up this morning, throat got better after yesterday's dose of Danzen, still having slight chills on & off. So yup... pray for my colleague Aaron too! He was the first to fall sick a week back & he's still recovering. Oh & pray for great weather across the Courseway =)

On a whole, looking forward to a good time of R&R, fellowship, soul refreshing and maybe some shopping! Haha... Megasale's still on!

Cheerios!

Attempting poetry.

Falling sick, isn't very nice.
I lay in bed, and think twice.
If not for the pouring rain, I wouldn't be soaked.
So much for forgetting my umbrella, I shouldn't have been soaked.

Falling sick, isn't nice at all.
I lay in bed, and think that...
In the middle of the night, a fever will rise.
How did I ever last through the day?
Earlier, wasn't I feeling ok?

Falling sick, isn't nice, period.
The aches & chills,
Just spoils the thrills,
of keeping in good health.
Lethargy & nausea on little appetite.
Eeeks.

So, 2 Panadols for the head,
Now, I'm off to bed.

Riddle me

It's the riddle riddle lame joke phase again. Realized today that my kids can't tell jokes but they ask a mean riddle. Haha... there was this joke they shared (each P6 shared the same joke in several versions, which is actually more like a name change of the 2 main characters of the joke & occurring at a different time) it goes something like this...

One day, Alice met Ben at the canteen & Alice, being the bully that she is, told Ben that at 10:30am, Ben had to kiss her feet. Ben didn't like the idea and started running away and Alice gave chase. After the 2 ran for abt 10mins, they both were called to a halt by the discipline master. He questioned them what was the matter and Ben complained to him that Alice is forcing him to kiss her feet at 1030am! The discipline master looked at his watch and said to Ben, "What's the fuss? You still have 5mins. Now, run along & see me later!"

Funny? Me & Aaron were like... *pause* "err... is that it? Oh. Yes? err Hahahahaha... sigh."

Ha... Sheesh.

My "Curious Sus" look.
Question. Is the dish in the picture, Chee Chong Fun?

Well that's what it said on the menu. Hmm...

Baby Trina!

Alright it's old news but still exciting news! Shona (my ex-colleague) gave birth to baby Trina on Tues around 4pm! It's like people started smsing & we got phone calls from my supervisor... quite exciting haha!

Went to visit her @ Thomson Medical the next day after Carehut Mtg. To think we made an effort to end early to rush down to see them. Here's the pics I took with my 1.3pix camera phone (actually I'm really surprised that it's quite clear).

Here's little Trina! Isn't she sweet! So cute & tiny! She moved quite a bit in her sleep... one active girl she is.

Introducing the 3rd member to the family!
Was quite impressed with Thomson Med's parking system. They've set up a valet system but the interesting thing was while waiting for my car a van suddenly rolled up & we were told to hop in for a ride to my car. So, get this, in order to collect my at Thomson Medical, I would have to take a bus to the specified parking lot to drive back. Anyway, the whole thing seemed amusing at that time. Ha...

I'm really looking forward to The CCSS Summit! Interesting that they call it 'Summit' right? It's actually the annual Staff Retreat. Would be a great time of resting & just getting to know better the rest of CCSS other than Carehut. Lots of new things, like we're gonna have office cells every fri morning beginning during the Summit, using "Becoming a Person of Destiny". Really really looking forward to it and it'll be out of Singapore! Ok I'll still be able to see SG.. our hotel's in JB =P

Blessed Birthday, Mama!

This is for my wonderful, beautiful mother who turns 56!!

We went out for dinner to celebrate with my aunt & uncle. Think now that the school days are gone & the career phase comes, celebrating my parent's birthdays have becoming more fulfilling.

Tonight I saw the rekindled love & joy in my mum's eyes throughout dinner. Haven't had much quality time with her in a while since I started working & could tell she missed the time with me when I wasn't so tightly scheduled. Brings back wonderful memories of mother-daughter time. I remember we used to cuddle up together to a good movie on tv & make random comments about that handsome actor or the longing actress. Haha...

A bit of background about my mom (for all who's interested) haha. She's really one special lady. Very different from the everyday woman we meet. Some people may think she's quite odd which is true to some extent but think a better word would be 'unconventional'.

She's compassionate & sensitive, confident & welcoming, humourous & disciplined, God-fearing, generous & a committed caregiver with the heart for the lost. Think what I really admire in her is her uber friendliness (both her & my father can chat & get to know anyone!), boldness & persistence to talk about Jesus to really anybody and everybody she meets!

Top traits I've got from her, I think, would be her enthusiasm & spontaneity.

Wells, thanking God for you & through thick & thin, I'll always love you Mama.

Blessed Birthday!

In your eyes, the looks of love & compassion;
In your smile, the warmth of care & joy;
In your hands, the gift of giving in service.
You're truly God's work of art!

Too Late...

... for comments on the NDP?? Never! Haha...

Wanted to post this much much earlier but the days have been really busy.

I actually enjoyed the NDP this year @ Marina Bay. Was watching with family in the comforts of home & every yr we never fail to see the jets fly past out our window. Loved the first performance by Clementi Primary School!! Ok not being bias (just because its children) but didn't you think they were so cute in their colourful under-the-sea costumes! Especially the starfish haha!

The remote control kites were also really nice. Think the backdrop of the city skyline like The Fullerton & Esplanade were spectacular for Singapore standards. Thought the songs had a tad too much propaganda this year, especially 'Will you'.

Will you dare to find... dare to find... dare to find... new ways....!!!!

The children were singing it in their high pitched, out of tune voices, like a broken record after their school celebrations. Seriously. But oh wells, what's National Day without the patriotism right?

To sum it up, I'm glad I'm back in SG & to a certain extent there's really no place I'd rather be than where family & friends are, here in Singapore.

We are Singapore... we are Singapore... we will stand together, hear the lion roar!

Gone is the tree.

Just realize today that the tree along Braddell Rd just after Braddell Hill to the CTE is gone! They removed it overnight!! Now it's a nice straight non-exciting normal road. I knew I shld have taken a picture.

Driving there in the past with the tree still dividing the right fast lane from the 2 left lanes made me feel like Kimi Raikkonen whizzing through Turns 14-16 of the Formula 1 Gran Premio de España Telefónica (Spanish Grand Prix). Ok much much slower than F1 of course.

Gosh I'll miss that tree. They've kept it there for ages till my Dad even thought the reason why the darn tree stood there was because it was of heritage value. Something along the lines of the oldest living tree in SG. HA. Now it's gone... boo...

Oh wells, there's still Airport Rd & Upper Paya Lebar Rd. Haha!

Recap!

We have circle time during our refreshment slot with the children where we choose a topic the kids want to talk about for that half hour. So this time round, p1 Fik chose the topic on National Day! Of course the other older children were like sian but we went ahead anyway changing it into choosing our all time favourite NDP song & playing memory game.

So. The game kinda ended with me & left me trying to remember how to sing 9 other people's fav NDP songs. Anyway, RC chose a song "We live in Singapura" (the one from The Mr Brown show sung by Hossan Leong) which got me quite stuck with the line "I live in Singapura! It's not perfect living but at least it's interesting!" Weird but anyway all of us had a good laugh! =)

Went for FOP'07 & God is good! All the time! I'm embarrassed to say I had too much expectations for Delirious?, although it was still great, but Don Moen still is Da-worship man. Haha! Sang old time favourites like God will make a way & God is good, All the time!

Still love his style & that soothing voice! Most importantly, the message was good. Rev Phil Pringle spoke on Acts 15:16 - Building the tabernacle of David. It's time about time we become joyful Christians! Think the world needs that spark of hope & joy of the Lord with all the news going round anyways.

He also spoke about 'anointing ourselves with fresh oil' which built on the message & song sung during Staff Devotion last Wed.

Plenty of meetings up this week. Nights will be booked & days will be busy. Oh! Our new part-time staff, Aaron, started his first day on Aug 1st! What a small world coz' he's good buddies with my zone leader in FCC! (For all Perth people, he knows Daryl! Eunice you reading this?? =)) So yup. After Shona goes, it's just me & him. Really don't know how it'll be like w/o Shona. Really need Your help, God, to be able to anchor here.

Another week! Stay blessed! =)

Me - The 'eat potatoe' girl.

LAYER 1 : ON THE OUTSIDE
Name : Sarah-Jane Tan
Birth Date : 17 June 1985
Current Status : Single
Eye Colour : Dark Brown
Hair Colour : Black

LAYER 2 : ON THE INSIDE
My Heritage : Singaporean Chinese (Teochew)
My Fears : Not 'bearing fruit'.
My weaknesses : Pride & indecisiveness.
My Perfect Pizza : Thin&crispy crust. Fully loaded, meat, olives, tomatoes, plenty of cheeeese!

LAYER 3 : YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW
My thoughts first waking up : "Hit the snooze... hit the snooze... hit the snooze... whaa... what time!?"
My bedtime : When I'm sleepy.
My most missed memory: Long drives along Kwinana Fwy & to Cott beach, fellowship outings/dinners with FCC cell.

LAYER 4 : MY PICK
Pepsi or coke : Coke.
Single or group dates : Both's alright.
Adidas or Nike : Nike
Tea or Nestea : Teh O Kosong bing!
Chocolate or Vanilla : Ooo... tough one. Both?
Cappuccino or Coffee : Can't take coffee... but send the Tiramisu in. Thank you!

LAYER 5 : DO YOU…
Smoke : Never!
Curse : Does 'crap!' count? It does doesn't it? Oops.
Take a shower : Yes.
Have a crush : Haha. Yes.
Think you’ve been in love : Yes.
Go to school : Went, Yes.
Want to get married : Definitely.
Believe in yourself : Sometimes.
Think you’re a health freak : Hmm... NO! Pure bred foodie... hello!

LAYER 6 : IN THE PAST
Drank alcohol : Yes. It's a family business (selling wines... that is) but have since stopped with the tasting.
Gone to the mall : Don't Singaporeans call it Shopping Centre? Of course!
Been on stage : Yes. Most memorable was the Christmas evangelistic performance @ Lucky Plaza & being an Octopus to the song "If I were a ...." for a church event.
Eaten sushi : Of course!
Dyed your hair : Yes. Which resulted in massive hair damage so stopped for abt 2yrs. I just highlight now.

LAYER 7 : HAVE YOU EVER…
Played a stripping game : Hmm... Never!
Changed who you were to fit in : Probably, in secondary school.

LAYER 8 : AGE YOU’RE HOPING…
To be married : Probably around 25-28

LAYER 9 : IN A GUY.
Best eye colour : Dark brown
Best hair colour : Whatever comes natural for him... ok black.
Short hair or long hair : Short. Clean-cut's the way to go!

LAYER 10 : WHAT WERE YOU DOING…
A minute ago : I'm thinking whether using the time to do this was a wise decision and if my fellow cellies are at it?!
Hour ago : Watching Godzilla on HBO... ya i know... there wasn't much on at that time.
1 day ago : Went for FOP!
1 month ago : Settling in CCSS.
Year ago : Loved traveling the US east coast!

LAYER 11 : FINISH THE SENTENCES…
I love : God.
I feel : joyful.
I hate : wars & hostage situations.
I hide : in bed.
I miss : term breaks & traveling.
I need : love & God.

LAYER 12 : TAG 5 PEOPLE
1. Do I
2. really
3. have
4. to?
5. Oops. Out of bullet points.

Here comes August!

Watched The Simpsons Movie today... been quite a while since I've been to the cinema but it was good! Really slapstick-comedy with your everyday Simpsons humour. This guy in the cinema was really enjoying it for some reason... laughed so loud! Must be a die-hard Simpsons fan.

Anyway! Had a good laugh though but ya... like what Homer said at the very beginning..."Why spend money watching a show that you can watch for free on television!?" Haha really enjoyed the fellowship more than the movie ultimately.

Somehow the crowd's different & different is great! A big shout out to Jon for organising! Thanks!! =)

2 more minutes to August 1st... which actually marks the end of my 2nd month & new beginnings of the 3rd month working in CCSS Carehut!

PTL!

Bull Run, We also run...

Well, ok... we didn't really run. We walked briskly. Anyway, was really an interesting event that got all of us acquainted with AMK's heartland! We visited AMK hub and all... my first time really roaming around AMK even though it's a stone's throw haaa...

It was kinda like a cell thing but we - Raymond, Clement & myself - formed another group with new people but think we had pretty good group dynamics so all went well! They divided us all into groups & packed us all into buses which brought us to (& from) our destinations - AMK & TPY. HuiFang!! You should have been with us!!! Haha! Anyway...

There were about 5 tasks with the first, grocery shopping! Then we had to decipher a picture taken from (wethink) AMK central playground. On a whole it was fun! Came back for supper & a time of fellowship! Here are the photos (thanks to efficient GuoXing!)

Oh! Got the Hillsong's 'Extravagant Worship' book by Darlene Zschech from Jon! Thanks Jon (if you're reading this! =)) He actually gave it to me! How nice right! Haha!

Taking half of Monday off... The morning off that is. Going out with Qing to check out the winding down GSS a last time before it's over.

apologies for the picture... Don't know why it's not straight up when I uploaded it straight up... hmm... anyway...

My colleague, Shona, that's her with her soon to be born baby Trina, showed me a brochure sent by SSTI & Monash Uni concerning a degree in Social Work for VWO staff. Was thinking of taking it up part-time... then again i'll really have to pray for funding. Maybe I'll postpone the thought to the 6th intake in 2009 & just take up SSTI courses for a diploma first? Hmm...

Also just found out from my boss - pam's cousin btw! small world! - that there's a new part-time guy coming to help me when Shona's gone @ PT. Think I've really gotta start learning how to better manage carehut on my own so that I'll be just as good a teacher as Shona & Aunty Fongmin to the new guy haha! Anyway, not really looking forward to Shona leaving... Just when I made a good friend she's going sighs... but still can't wait to see little Trina in person instead of watching her kick within her mother. =)

Lots of things to do the nxt few weeks... more on the personal side actually. Thinking of what to do for Shona before she goes. Think God has been great in allowing me to meet different people working in the social work line... Like today my Host I/C was this lady working in MCYS with Youths so talked with her more about social work & all... Then in my group for the Bull run event, there's another lady working in MCYS in the family side! Divine appointments! Haha! Ya... Praise God!

Another week's gone, another week to come.

So I decided to video the children...

2 in particular... Tadah!

I am Fik & Rong Ching!

Le Vitamin - Drama in words

Act 1, Scene 1

P6 girl, YH, llllooovess to eat, a real loud shrill speaker every hour of the day, barges in "screaming":
"Auntyyyyy.... What's that!!"
We're about to reply but:
"OOO... Vitamins ah! So good!!! Who give one???"
We, the Aunties, say:
"Oh, Guardian actually donated these to us, so each child in Carehut gets one Bright Eyes & Vitamin C."
YH:
"Wahhh!!! I want!!! *she picks up the Bright Eyes box* "AYE!!! Grape flavour!!!! I like!!!"
"Can I eat now?? Can not!!! Can right!!!"
In the background:
"Err, YH I think you should go home and.... Wait!!! Don't open the box yet!! YH!"
YH:
"Can la... can la!! *turns to the nearest boy behind her proudly saying* Aye! You seee! I can eat one now leh!! *opens box*"
Aunty Aunty:
"YH!!!" *YH pops one into her mouth*
YH:
"MmMmmmm... wah! so nice lor!!! *chew chew chew*"

Act 1, Scene 2

Diao...:
"Ok... BUT just eat ONE! The instructions says One tablet daily. So it's 1 each day. Ok?"
YH still in her euphoria:
"YAY!! SO nice!!! I'm going to show my friends! Let them try!"
In *hidden* desperation:
"NO!! Stay where you are. Did you hear what we said?"
YH descending from air:
"Ok la... 1 a day la."
Phew!:
"Ok, good. Same goes for the Vitamin C ah..."

Act 1, Scene 3 (Final scene)

YH gets excited...:
"OH YAR!!! YAY!!! I can eat the Vitamin C now!!!!"
Diao... again...:
"*expression: DIAO...* YH!!! Remember 1 of each KIND of Vitamin A day ok!!!"
YH elated:
"Okokokok!! *pops 1 Vitamin C into mouth* WAHHHHH SO NICE!!!!"
"I like this one too!!! Aunty!!! Can I have more???"

SFX (end):
Den1 Den3 Deeennn1....

- The End -

Screen credits (roll)

Beautiful Women's Month

Celebrating Beauty in July!

For Attractive Lips, speak words of kindness,
For Lovely Eyes, seek out the good in people,
For a Slim Figure, share your food with the hungry;
For Beautiful Hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day;
For Poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.

"Beauty Tips" by Audrey Hepburn

This goes out to...

Welcoming dear Forrest into the Lim Family!!!

He's cute, he's cuddly, he's... Forrest Lim!! I still think, Qing, that at the rate of his cute factor, your family will throw a big bash for his 1st birthday haha!

Random thoughts & musings...
1) Sleepovers can still be fun with your best friend any age. No, rephrase. Fun even when u're slightly older. Can't imagine a sleepover when we're 50... or 40 for that matter... Can u? Haha!
2) Thinking of a name to call your pet can be a ludicrous experience especially if you decide on a specific theme. Let's call it... Orrr... Lua!!
3) Why do some dress shoes feel perfect & comfortable when you wear them at the store before purchase and after the purchase, give you pain & blisters wearing them out the first time??!!
4) Is it a trend to play the techno version of a timeless classical piece at weddings to emphasize the dawn of a new age, the move toward modernity??
5) I love kids! You know the show "Kids say the darnest things"? "Ah... Aunty Sarah... Can switch off the fan & on the aircon?" "Are you feeling cold?" "No, I very very hot. Please? Can switch off and only have aircon??" It's so true.

Give in...

Been resisting blogging this but I can't anymore! I just HAVE TO coz it's SOOOOO CUTE!!!! Ok reading it would really be not-as-cute coz' it's a hear & see thing but anyway... if you're interested ask me & I'll show it to you!

A few of my P4 kids showed me this:

Didi (break) Didi - A Baby shark
Didi (break) Didi - A Mama shark
Didi (break) Didi - A Papa shark

Didi (break) Didi - A Grandma shark
Didi (break) Didi - A Grandpa shark

Didi (break) Didi - A Shark attack!
Didi (break) Didi - I swim like mad!
Didi (break) Didi - I swim like mad!

Didi (break) Didi - I lost an arm...
Didi (break) Didi - Another arm.
Didi (break) Didi - I lost a leg...
Didi (break) Didi - Another leg.

Didi (break) Didi - I lost my head!
Didi (break) Didi - A Heart attack!!
Didi (break) Didi - Diiiiiiiiiiiiiii........................................ *flatline*
Di1 di3di3 Di2di3 Di2 Di1!!

Ok typing this made me feel silly but ya... it's sooo cute with the actions!!! Ask me!! :p

Sniff sniff, cough cough

Yes, the diagnosis is in. I'm sick... Again!!?!? Blame it on the change in temperatures... Hothot cold cold hot cold cold hot. Boo... What's weird is that with the fever I didn't have chills or anything. I just felt really hot. With my nose, it just kept feeling irritated. With my throat, woke up with a little pain but past few hours it's been alright. Wells hope I'll recover soon...

Anyways, took half a day tml so going in after lunch... Oh and the parents are back safe n sound with Star Cruise photos haha!

Ok. Sneeze break!

The True Vine

The parents are off on their 2 night 3 day trip to Redang via cruise. Cleared one of my half day in lieu to send them off this arvo. Pray for God's protection & strength & joy along with the group of people with them.

The day's turned out pretty hot. Think I've sort of come down with a fever/flu of some sort but ya still quite alright to take Bon's out for a stroll just now. Guess the fresh air did both of us good =)

Managed to capture most of today's Staff Devotion with the lousy sick feeling. Thank God for His sustenance! Ps Bryan talked about Jesus as the true vine, coming back to Jesus as the source for strength for in-filling for ideas for everything. He drove a simple 'profound' point through which is we can't force fruits from the vine. It's true. Self-check.

He noted that in our ministry, we're giving off our life & this may drained us, physically spiritually, if we don't go back to our Father.

Lord, thank you for reminding me to go back, every moment, to Your Living Word. I, the branch, can't survive without You, my true vine. So please be my sustenance instead of me striving to work things out with my own strength. Amen.

Today was also the third time I spent time @ PL in the morning. Was good cause got to catch up & get to know better the rest of the CCSS staff. Did some reading as well! Borrowed 2 books, "Games for reading - For the young beginner" (hoping this will help Fik to learn to read better & the rest to learn to spell... their English is quite a concern for us) & "Setting Limits in the Classroom" (an alternative method to dealing with all the bad habits & disruptive behaviour going on).

Ok beginning to perspire (should be a good sign right?) Haha! Think I shld get sleeping. Till the next post...

Signing off!

It's a long drive...

Been driving a whole lot nowadays. Ok rephrase. Been more adventurous in driving around unfamiliar places in Sg the past week. Thank God He's been my eyes & ears on the road, my protection in times of impatient taxi drivers, reckless truckers, feisty luxury sports cars & not-scared-to-get-banged motorcyclists! My very help in time of honks. Haha!

Anyway what's there to update? I'm tired. Have been like dosing off everywhere possible to dose off. Basically due to the extensive weekend programme last week. Friday, drove all the wa to Marsiling MRT to pick Qing. Almost thought I was going to be lost at the Causeway to JB.

Saturday, the children were sponsored a Car Treasure Hunt (seemed more like an excursion to the farms@Choa Chu Kang/Lim Chu Kang in a whole chain of cars). Visited the Fish farm, Goat farm, Vege farm... Wetlands... ya.

Thank God for great weather (cool & breezy) & for the joy & safety. The children were thoroughly pampered, literally showered with sweets & snacks & presents! The P6's were on their own in individual cars while the younger ones went in pairs & us staff tagged along with them. I was assigned to Ryan (P4). He's actually one of the naughtiest boys in PTCarehut. Constantly being picked on because of his weird behaviour & bad social manners. I mean he's just asking for it. What tops the cake is that he totally enjoys the 'attention' the other kids give him. So ya. It meant unco-operativeness, bottomline? A test of patience.

Remembered an incident where he made me really fuming. Literally had to isolate myself in the office chanting, "God, give me grace... give me grace..." think he was too noisy, picked his nose in front of the kids & started flicking you-know-what at them. Then, the kids being irritated, ganged up against him (8-1), cornered him & taped his mouth with masking tape. He was so angry he cried for like 10 secs, paused, laughed the loudest laughter I've ever heard & he didn't stop laughing till much later.

Anyway, think it was a blessing being placed with him for a full day. Learned a lot of his 'other side' - the better side. Though there's still a lot of bad habits to try changing. Ha...

After the outing, had to rush down to St Paul's for worship pract. They had Youth Sunday & needed a keyboardist for both service sessions on Sunday. I was exhausted. Got home & just stoned on the couch.

Anyway, one of the worship leaders pricked my conscience after service. He wanted to check my commitment to worship there & sure enough the conversation went into whether serving 2 churches was a good thing. His opinion? Not. It's been on my mind since I started but been consciously brushed aside till now. Where does my allegiance lie? I would say TCC. But there's still the feeling of a need to be @ StPaul's.

Need vs Want, Want vs Need?

Lord, give me discernment & direction. Where You want me to be, I'll go.

We are Trinitarians!

Was so blessed to see & be a part of the massive fund-raising event for CCSS & Macpherson Sec! Round of applause & give yourselves a good pat on the back, those who helped make it happen! Guess I was quite psyched about it coz' just the thought that a part of the donations will go to the Carehut children & will definitely bless them greatly makes me high happy!!

Also think it was too early on a Sat morning to be up & running but oh shuush! to the weak flesh of me. Haha! Anyway...

CCSS had a great booth @ The Summit "selling" (actually free-will donations) handmade crafts by CarElderly & paintings by our Carehut kids! They were beautiful & was really encouraged to see how the elderly put in so much effort into their decorative ice-cream stick box master pieces! Realized I'm not fit for sales... haha! Though thank God he led me to a couple of donors for our CCSS giro donation! Gave out more forms then I got handed-in but ya let's pray the forms out there will make their way back home with all necessary particulars filled haha!

There were over a dozen other booths selling food & all. Here's what got my vote:

For Best Advertisement jingle - the little children cheering the 'Buy our cookies' jingle... think it was something abt munch munch munch crunch crunch crunch yumyum or something hee!
Best Mobile Advertisement - the other little children walking around in a train-line selling coloured frosting muffins. "Muffins for sale!! Who wants a muffin?!?" Aiyo. So cute!!
Most Entertaining Booth - it's gotta be (hands down) the Coconut stall! Haha! All of them (note: the men too!) were spotting pink raffia string skirts & flowery head-dresses in a coconut bikini top. Totally entertaining to see the old guy's promoting hip shake haha!
Best Crowd Drawer - definitely the Dunk-a-Pastor booth. People were filling up the outdoor corridors & stairways to see it!

On a whole it was fantastic to see so many Trinitarians in bright red! Didn't get to see them do the circuit outside but am sure they attracted quite a lot of attention on the streets!

Am excited about the coming week! It'll be the start of the school term which means the program would be slightly different for the children. No more early 7:30 shifts though I think it's better but fully 9:30-6:30 work hours. Plus! Think my parents are planning a cruise holiday with some family friends mid-week. Not too sure if it's confirmed but if it is, it'll mean 3 days of them away! Ok the exclaimation mark's purely signifies surprise & !?!?. =P Not that I'm happy abt but they deserve the break haha!

Anyways, I'm making it my short term goal to visit J8 & check out the smashing designer tees FunkyB's pushcart's selling. How Qing? Care to join me? Haha!

Blessed to be a blessing.

I'm so thankful for the blessings in friendship! It's amazing that a small encouragement or compliment or positive remark can really make someone's day, change someone's life.

Smses all the way from downunder! Wall-to-wall wishes on Facebook! Skype calls, calls from China, fellowship in Sunday keyboard lessons, spending a Tues evening eating a whole pint of passionfruit/berry yoghurt New Zealand Natural with your best buddy, warm invites to every happening church event even though you're no longer there, Sentosa cousin outings when the opportunity arises, crazy sleepovers since primary/sec school ages ago, being open to share just about anything around the Sunday lunch table with old church mates, the blessings just goes on...

My best friend actually posted a birthday prayer for me on her blog! Besides the beautiful prayer, it has really shown me how much this friend of (hmm) 11 12 years has changed & grown so much in Christ! It's so encouraging & such a blessing to now be able to 'see' & grow together with her in cell! Praise God!

Our cellies too have been just amazing! You know it's genuine when there's activated prayer requests through the week, when cellies pop up on msn asking you how's your week going or just wanna chat haha, when you realize your blog is linked with theirs even though you're "new" or seldom see them, what more talk with them, when people voice their encouragements in your sharing, when your home was made into a short movie haha! (Thanks again GX, if you're reading this!)

Was telling my kids to count their blessings today. Treasure the blessings in their friends. Now it's my turn.

Looking back God has made transitioning back to Singapore just wonderful! It's all God's provision. You did say (last year) You'll provide didn't You? Haha! Lord, You are so good ah!

What can I say?

I'm excited!
Think God gave me a revelation last Sat during YAS... During the closing prayer by Ps Dom, I was just voicing out my thoughts in my head about how I could minister to the children... ok I don't know how it linked with the sermon (which was on barrenness) but ya...

A normal work day finds me busy with running activities, taking care of their needs but never really having just enough real time with them, individually or as a group, to share with them testimonies & hear their life stories. So ya... it has been in my heart for a while then Sat came & God spoke!

He said, "Why don't you pray for them, one by one, during their nap-time?"

Fwah... just that simple statement blew me away haha! It's like an hour's worth of prayer time for each child each day! How could I have missed it?! But ya, thank you Lord for revealing this small but significant area you can use me in to minister into their lives. I really am excited! Pray with me that I'll persevere & stay focussed even through times where I'm tempted to use the time to nap myself haha!

My current earworm is The Stand from Hillsong's United We Stand Cd.

So what can I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart, O God
Completely to You...

Indeed, though I am weak, You are strong! At the end of the day, my heart is Yours.

And one Gwei Ling Gao for you...

Am kinda sick... my nose's running like a tap & am hardly getting much sleep. Think my body's on self-alarm clock mode. Been waking up @ 6am on my own the past mornings!!! Anyway, last night came home really 'runny' & in need of a stretcher to lift me to the bed but my parents seemed to have planned a June birthdays celebration for 2 family friends, inclusive of myself.

Went to 7th Storey for steamboat! It's really nice now being air-conditioned & renovated with a rustic feel. They had a section of the wall 'tiled' with egg trays!! Believe me, it's cool. Go check it out!

So yup... my mum didn't get a cake so she planned an impromptu surprise (as usual... she always has something up her sleeves any day, everyday) for the 3 birthday people. Yes it is! A herbal jelly 'cake' with 1 candle each! Haha! It was really cute & one of the most unique 'cake's ever haha!

Think every birthday, personally, was celebrated with just about family & very interesting cakes. Let's see ah.. I had a cupcake cake, a dragonfruit jelly sponge cake during the time I was quarantined for chicken pox, a pancake cake, a waffle cake, a mee chang kueh cake, a bao cake, prata cake, kaya on bread cake, that's just to name a few in which my goldfish memory serves me haha!

Gosh days are going like good tiramisu on sale! Didn't even know my birthday was round the corner till cell celebrated June birthdays... Was like Oh my... it's June already?!

Anyway, tml will be my last day @ Eunos Primary before I move back to PTPS for good... I actually think I'll miss them loads. They are so amazing & wonderful & even though they test your patience, they are really genuine & innocent, which is what melts my heart over & over haha!

God, bless them & protect them from any harm. May they continue to be inquisitive about the good things they see & experience with the Carehearters that Your seeds of salvation will rest deep in their hearts waiting for Your time of watering. Amen.

Rise & Shine: So not an early early morning gal.

Yawn... Time's 6:30am & I'm up, ready to get going to work. YAWN... Sou not an early morning person... Triple yawn...

Volunteered for the early shift today. Which means I'll be off @ 4:30pm! Actually the early shift ain't too bad. It'll just mean sleeping earlier which I've gotta put in more effort to do.

Am currently stationed @ Eunos for the week. Not too far off Trinity@PL which means it takes approx. 15mins from home. We had a Music Camp on Mon by Music Solutions! The children really enjoyed it! Think we were equally entertained as the children. Found another way to teach the basics of the keyboard (which will come in really handy)!

Also got to play a more significant role other than shadowing by teaching the character development lesson of the day. It was abt understanding other's feelings. Wouldn't say I'm an expert on the topic but hopefully the children enjoyed & learned something out of it haha! Gosh I'm sleepy. I see myself later in the day dozing off with the children during their arvo nap time... Or maybe dozing off on the way back... Ok. Dozing off. Period.

Yawn...

Number 2

A week's gone by & here comes week 2! Past week's been full of activities. My cousin came to stay over which meant extra-curricular activities for me to plan & execute other then my usual after work RnRs.

*ok my dear Bons just jumped up nxt to me with his squeaky yellow bone. Think he wants me to play with him haha! Anyway....*

Highlights of the week were mainly the weekend & playing "Capture the Flag" with PTPS Carehut! Cell on Fri was really encouraging with a good time of sharing & openness.
Sat, met up with old secondary sch mates (haven't seen them in ages!) had a great time of catching up, DL was fun! Always love serving! And to top off Sat night, we celebrated June birthdays! Came as a surprise coz I thought we were celebrating Ivan's birthday but ya... haha! Thx cellies for a wonderful pre-day celebration! Drove all the way to Tampines for it haha!

Sun, brought Min (my cousin) to Sentosa & also met the St Paul's youth there. Had a great time of fun & games & even got a free ride back on the bus! Thx guys! To sum the week up, there was loads of sunshine, loads of laughter, loads of fellowship & ministry!

May the weeks to come continue to see my life as an instrument for God's use!

Have a blessed week! =)

To the Zoo to the zoo!!

The zoo was great!! Had a blast of a time haha! Found all the animal shows entertaining (maybe I'm easily entertained... Hmm.) but ya... a bit short sia. Though it did rain quite heavily, we managed to keep the children occupied during the lunch hour so praise God for plan B's & C's haha!

Carehut children are wonderful! I mean you do have the ones that get on your nerves like the step-up kids but yea I'm probably too bias to comment on overall behaviour... I love them! What really made the highlight of the day was my 'super' telling me I'll most probably be stationed at PeiTong!!

Think God had a part in this decision haha! Never mentioned wanting to work @ PeiTong but inside I really wished I could coz of my previous interaction with the children there... also long to see how the step-up children are doing there... Sha & Cass, Ben & Sadish. It's really a granted desire! TYL!

So yup... looking forward to what's in store long term! Yays!

A lot of people ask me if I'm doing what I love. Honestly I dare say I think I am!

I love my job!!

Ps. my medical results were a full healthy healthy! =) Lost weight actually. The dialogue b/w the nurse & me went somewhat like this:

Nurse: "Ok take off your shoes & stand straight on the scale"
SJ: "Alright"
Nurse: "Good"... "Ok 6-kg & 170cm"
SJ: "Oh! I've lost weight." *in surprise*
Nurse: "Haha is that a good thing?" *curious look*
SJ: "Hmm... I would think so wouldn't it?? Haha"
Nurse: "Of course it's a good thing! Especially for your height. But even if you didn't lose weight you'd still be acceptable" *smiles*
SJ: "Aww.. thanks!" *grins*

Forgot why I'm typing this but ya... oh! thought it was entertaining haha! Sheesh right? =P
Have a blessed week ahead!

A tad late on updates

Well, better late than nv right? Haha!
So! I'm hired!! Full time with CCSS!! Praise God!!!
My 'super' called me a while ago & she said my first day @ work on 1st June'07 will be accompanying the kids to.... ...... ........ ............. the Zoo!!! Yay!! Been talking abt visiting the zoo for ages & finally it's been activated haha! I'm so excited! Think the children I'm handling are P2. Even more excited! Haha!

So! Tml I'm going for my medical checkup.
Not nervous about it or the results though... I feel like I'm not as healthy as I should be. Anyway, will keep you posted on the results. Looking forward to Friday!

So! Finally got to watch Pirates 3 & wasn't too entertained.
I mean it's all jolly gd that Elizabeth & Will got married & had a kid but having the marriage ceremony conducted by Captain Barbossa whilst fighting in the massive war between pirates & East India Trading Company, Will becoming Captain of the Dutchman (cutting out his heart & all), Jack Sparrow having illusions of clones of himself throughout the movie even though he was out of Davy Jones' Locker, Sao Feng making Elizabeth captain, Keith Richards as Jack Sparrow's father & Tia Dalma being Davy Jones' love being Calypso being anything but a ship...

*gasp* I just have but one word. SHEESH... Savvy?

Apologies for those who haven't watched it yet. WHY HAVEN'T YOU?!?! Kidding.

The company for the night was great though! Good catching up with Weichang, Clem & Carrie! So gd till we met up the nxt day (today) for blading @ East Coast & shopping @ PP & Queensway! Btw... Queensway is having excellent deals now with GSS on so avid sporty shoppers, go shop! I'm still looking for gd reasonable walking/activity shoes.

Yo-ho... Yo-ho...

My earworm...

Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You
We turn to You!
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You
We long for You!
'Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears are washed away, washed away!

Hosanna, hosanna
You are the God who saves us, worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You
We turn to You!
In Your Kingdom broken lives are made new
You make us new!
'Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears are washed away, washed away!

Hosanna
Paul Baloche
A Greater Song (2006)

What about Love & Romance?

Decided to see what went on on Sundays@St Paul's. They conduct music lessons for youths interested in learning guitar, e. guitar, keyboard, drums. Got there @ 1030am, in time to meet & greet some old familiar faces (uncles & aunties) just arriving for the 11am (younger) service.

There's something homely about the grounds of St Paul's. Reckon it's the whole landed property single-storey house-like buildings with a big garden & plenty of mango trees. Reminds me of my old house in Gardens. Anyways, the session went rather well & we lunched out @ the nearby kopitiam - the group's usual haunt (you can say...) where the beef hor fun's delicious & the claypot's sizzling!

Got to know better, a new friend in the church. The lunch table comprised the main leaders of Youth - 1 guy, engaged, 1 guy, attached, my old church cell fellow keyboardist friend - girl, attached & finally, 2 girls - single (which is me & my new friend, their old church mate). So somehow we talked & talked & the topic of when were we gonna be in a relationship came up! Ooo... how exciting. Hmm. =P

You see... this girl's 25, just graduated from a super long degree course, currently job searching, single, fully available & the 2 guy leaders (who are her age) feel that single girls, especially at her age, should have more opportunities to socialize in a christian environment.
p.s. they're holding a young adults gathering this Fri factoring in this thought & they've kindly invited me haha. Though I won't be there. I've got a happening Trinitarian cell group to attend! *wink*

So. Think it made her feel uncomfortable or I don't know. She seemed to be deep in thought most of the time they were speaking but ya.. she shared that she's really alright with being single & thinks a relationship will happen naturally. But. She also says she thinks she has the gift of celibacy. Honestly, I never knew there was a 'gift of celibacy'. Anyway, all this talk about relationships made me bother to ponder a little over the idea. No, not celibacy... tsk. Being in a relationship. Duh... haha! Oh & if you're wondering if I got any part of the lecture, yes & no. Phew. They said I still had sufficient time haha! How odd right!? Anyway, no bombarding arrows came my way throughout the lunching from 2pm lasting 3 drinks till 5pm.

A month back, I've picked up reading this great heart-searching book, 'Captivating' by John & Stasi Eldredge. The husband wrote 'Wild at Heart' for guys & they co-wrote this book for every woman. After completing maybe 3/4s of the book, its got me captivated & excited!

Yes, yours truly here, longs to be romanced. I openly & honestly admit it. Wouldn't call myself a full fledge romantic but dare say I am a romantic. And even though I'm not actively looking, I do want to be romanced, fall in love, get married & have children to take care of & nag at & watch them grow up to be oaks of righteousness!

Well, back to the book,

'A woman becomes beautiful when she knows she's loved. ... Even the woman who everyone thought was rather plain & unengaging, becomes lovely & inviting when she is pursued... Her heart begins to come alive, come to the surface & her countenance becomes radiant.' 'We then wonder,"Where has she been all these years? Why, she is really captivating."'

Ladies, your beauty was always there, waiting for romance to be released & awakening our hearts. You know, it gets better. There's no need to wait for a guy. God longs to bring this awakening, this revealing of our true beauty in our lives himself!

Wow... How awesome is that! God our Lover!

The bible uses several metaphors to describe our relationship with God. From the beginning, we as creation, God our Maker. Progressing to we the clay, He is the potter. We are sheep, He the shepherd. Then from Master & servant to Father & child to finally? God our Lover (Bridegroom, Fiance), we His bride. Double Wow! How intimate & beautiful our relationship has progressed!

Wait the best is yet to come! You know our lives? Our life story is ALSO the greatest love story ever! The story of a the long & passionate pursuit of our hearts by the One who knows us best & loves us most! God's chocolates, love notes & romantic candlelight dinners are the Sunrise & Sunsets of each day, the tranquil ripples on the lake, the mighty waves of the sea, the cute adorable dogs faithfully answering to your call, the night sky moon & stars. Wow.

I think this is the longest post ever! Haha! But it's so exciting to hear of engagements & especially awaiting the love gifts God has to send every new day!

A quick update, will be going for the second interview with CCSS this Wed 4pm. Thx for your prayers! Really praying I'll get it & can't wait to start full time work! =)

Stay blessed! Be loved!

Back on track...

and ever ready to go! CCSS called & I'm up for an interview this Fri@3pm! I'm thankful & excited! Got the call while out playing baddy with some UNC exchange old-chums haha! Our fifth-some is back from the States & LaoDa Clement organized a badminton/bbq eat-in/bridge game @ his place.

Loved the fellowship, missed it a lot rather.. haha! It's always great to catch up with the 'long time no see' friends you've come to know through various events in your life. Ok trying not to make this post sound emo sentimental so!

Was reading a few articles from ChristianityToday online & the one about 'Faking Church' got to me. It's like ouch, ok, reality check.

Acts 5 - Ananias & Sapphira. Ok they were severely dealt with in the end but bottom line, it made me reflect & think over what my motivations were to serve & I'm so glad I did. The writer's right in saying that this deception, of wrong motivations, creeps in slowly & subtly. Majority of the time we fail to realize it. He quotes A.W. Tozer,

"Many a solo is sung to show off; many a sermon is preached as an exhibition of talent; many a church is founded as a slap to some other church. Even missionary activity may become competitive, and soul winning may degenerate into [something] to satisfy the flesh."

Lord, thank you for Your Spirit's prompting & conviction. Help me to not repeat the story of Ananias & Sapphira in my walk with You but instead draw me back to the foot of the Cross daily to return the glory You solely deserve.

Hard times

The past week's been hmm. Hard. Not many will know but my temp-job with Touch has been abruptly terminated to Freelance status.

The aftershock saw me full of disappointment & confusion. It was a blow to my heart & unexpectingly, my ego. I cried a whole lot. Past Fri, Sat & Sun. Falling sick made it more difficult. Know I should have posted earlier but ya. I just didn't have the heart to.

Spent the night whispering to God. How can this be? Wasn't this The job You sent?

Well, after about a week gone by, I'm alright. God has quite interesting ways of dealing with my heart. Ultimately, I'm thankful for the experience & training. A lot of people tell me it's for the better. I'm looking forward to it.

Recently applied to Care Community SS for the same position. Praying it'll be an open door for quite a while haha! Having been to the 'bottom of sea', my heart desires the ocean. An ocean of children in need for God's love & care. His comfort & help in times of need.

A line from 'Hosanna' keeps ringing in my head:

Break my heart for what breaks Yours, Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause

Pray with me, will you, for open doors to a full time position in this ministry. Through the rough & tumble of the week, God has taught me much. He's shown me His heart even more & humbled mine. Thank you Lord.

Was reading Jeremiah 29:11 & as I read on through the rest of the verses, I realized (or was reminded rather) that He knew. He knew the outcome, He held my future & my subtle neglect to go back to my Father's heart. I thought I knew where I was going. I could 'see' my future but I think that was my Achilles' heel. That shouldn't be my focus. He holds my tomorrows, so my focus should be on Him & I neglected that.

I feel so vulnerable & uncertain now. Thank God for humbling me.

Jeremiah 29:11-14

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

How amazing God's word is! It was a promise & comfort to the exiles back in the day, now, it still holds true. Amen!

Keeping in beat.

Hillsong United's "All of the Above" is out! Gotta get used to playing loud... Thought I left those 'Take it All' 'Now that You're Near' 'Free' days of serious youth e.guitar worship.

Think I'm getting old. I find myself appreciating more of the 'How great is Our God', 'Above all', 'O Mighty Cross', Don Moen, along the tune of hymns, genres to what's moving the next generation. Haha!

Well, thank God for keeping me youthful though I'm nowhere near the border of a quarter of a century to have the right to say that. No offense. Praise God!

All the best to people finishing up their exams. It's the final hurdle, the last lap... find strength in Christ and give it your best for Him!

*smiles*

Keyboard lessons.

I'm seriously thinking of signing myself up for courses. Heard about Believer's Music Initiative from a Coach, Ben, in my work. A few other friends have also taken lessons there and said they were good!

The nxt intakes in July so guess I still have a few months to consider.

Looking forward to Labour day! =)

A Comment Owed.

Hey GuoXing!

I'm so sorry I didn't see the comment u left for the Easter post! Haha! Never really had a comment left here before, people always just tag but anyway. Umm... I think the donuts don't actually represent sin. Instead it represents Salvation and the blessings that comes with it. God extends the invitation to begin a relationship with Him (living the life we were meant to live - a life of worship to our Maker) to us as long as we believe in Him.

Believing that because of God's unconditional unfailing love and grace, God sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins on the cross, that we may have eternal life in Him (John 3:16). He loves us freely whether we want/deserve it or not.

Leaving the class, in a way, represents us walking away from God's hand stretched out to us. It's like refusing God's invitation by not accepting the donut.

Hope this answers your question... Sorry it took so long! =)

Day after day...

... Night after night. Gosh I'm tired. Physically, mentally tired. Sorry to start off the post with such down announcements haha! but really, I am.

Something that lifted my spirits though, happened just yesterday. Think no matter how physically tiring my work is, it's the little things that God reveals when you least expect it that really picks you up again.

I go to PeiTong every Tues arvo to assist with the Aspire club children there. Each school's Aspire club children have their very unique personalities and PeiTong, from what I've experienced by far, is the most challenging, personally. So after another challenging session, we were all packing up and getting ready for de-brief. We had moved the session from the normal classroom to the AVA room for P6 beside the dance studio which had a piano!

So this boy, super hyper 'thinks he's always right' naughty, was busy banging on the piano when I came in. He wanted to show off a bit so he started playing a proper tune. Turned out he's learning the Electone (which is like 2 keyboards, layered in one like an organ). Think the breakthrough came with the idea of teaching him a new song, so I did. And gosh, is he a fast learner. Just 2 times of playing it for him and him trying it out, he soon mastered the tune! Near perfect timing, near perfect notes.

To cut the long story short, praise God for helping me find an avenue to engage him and motivate him to shine in the gifts he's blessed with! He really changed my perception of him in that split moment. I began to see that he truly flourished on deserved attention, praises and encouragement. We followed him home for home visits and he continued to play the tune at home on his electone! Instantly, my heart melted. It was so encouraging after the long hard weeks before. God's touched me once again.

Lord, I pray for your child, that he'll continue to be encouraged and motivated to practice the songs he loves and wants to perform for us. Lord remind him and touch his conscience of what is right and wrong. Give him the boldness to stand up for what is right and even more, the ownership to admit to his mistakes for what he's done wrong. He needs to learn patience, academic discipline and love Lord.

Thank you Lord for opening our eyes to see his gifting and thank you for his receptiveness to our coaching and befriending. Continue to work in his heart so that he'll be more open to us as we reach out to him. Thank you for the work You're doing, even now, in his heart. Amen.

I know...

it's been a long while since I've kept people updated. Hope you haven't given up checking on me here because of this though.. haha!

First things first, I've started working already. Yup got a Programme Executive position with Touch Character Development (TCD) under Touch Community Services. Praise God! It's officially 2 weeks now that I've been with Touch and I've never felt so at home! I just want to thank God for giving me patience and for making the whole transition wonderful. The world is so big, yet so small. My old church missionary is also working with Touch, sharing the same office but different department! Plus my old church youth mate, Hui Min's free-lancing with TCD too! So I practically see her quite often now haha!

God is great! Working with the children, especially the 'At risk' children have made me see life in perspective. God said in Isaiah 61,

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor".

These children have so much life ahead of them. Yet, they suffer in silence, with outward expressions of rebellion. The longing to be loved, the longing to be comforted, the longing to find meaning and purpose.

It's difficult for me at the end of each day. I mean, I do smile at their moments of wit, innocence and joy but to know that I'll be going home to a family and they may not, is difficult to reconcile. I'm still learning to channel this feeling towards giving the energy to reach out to them. It's tiring, physically. But just to hear them say, "Thank you Aunty Sarah! This programme is so fun! We want to see you again! Come back ok?" just turns the physical pain into joy and new found strength.

Ok Aunty because TCD wants to standardize formalities. So everyone who coaches or assists, no matter their age, are to be called Uncle or Aunty.

I've also been helping out with St Paul's youth in worship. Committed myself to go alternate weeks as well as train up a girl for keyboards. It's great to be able to serve in worship again after so long. I miss it. Reminds me a lot of FCC days in the training band and all.

Gosh, I've got so much on my mind. Yesterday night, after I came back from St Paul's, my mum wasn't in her happy moods. It started from when I left till when I came back. I honestly didn't know why this was happening. I mean, alright, it seems like I'm trying to bite on more than I can chew by committing to Trinity and St Paul's, as well as the commitment to work. I admit that I'm physically tired, but my spirit's alive.

The question on my mum's mind was, "which church are you going to become a member with?" As much as this question is of least importance to the majority, it meant a whole lot to my mum. She wanted me to be with her, with family, at YCK chapel while I wanted to be a member with Trinity. So ya, last night's conversation was somewhat heated, though I think God has changed my attitude towards her (i.e. instead of the cold shoulder, I took it very positively). I was so willing to obey and say alright you can just sign me up for membership at YCK, I'll visit Trinity but I still have to serve at St Paul's.

Today, at YCK (oh if you don't know, I attend YCK chapel on sundays with my parents. So literally I'm in a church thurs, fri, sat and sun) my heart was heavy. So heavy till I couldn't sing the worship songs, couldn't stop crying. Inside I was asking Jesus, "Lord, have I done something wrong? I've listened to Your Word, following the path You've laid before me. I give You my all, my joy, in serving You with the children, with the worship ministry, with the fellowship in cell and Trinity. My spirit says all is good but why do I still face difficult objections from my own blood, mama, that seems like she wants to close every door You've opened?"

Think I cried for a good 3 quarters of the service. Came out of service feeling lighter, somewhat accepting to submit to my mum's wishes. Thinking about how I felt after that now, I think God healed many wounds within. Wounds and burdens I never thought I'd carry. In fact, although, humanly I was really sad, but was content, comforted. Anyway, as down as the recap of the days sound, God did something really awesome for me. He changed my mum's heart. She talked with me in the car just now and said that as much as she wanted me to be with her in the same church, she cannot stop God from doing a good work in me where I've been led. She also mentioned there wasn't a verse in the bible that said the family should worship together in the same church so ya... haha! But thank you Lord, for hearing the cries of my heart, for comforting me, giving me the oil of gladness and a garment of praise! Amen!