Salmon Fish

This is a collage picture of Salmon fish swimming up stream. From what i know is a time of giving birth to the next generation. I have a friend who told me that my character is like the salmon fish, go against all odds. I really don't know how he sees it, but it's true...but i really hope that it is not my stubborn attitude and pride that hinder my growth in the Lord and as a human too!

Dinner with The Hougers on 8 Nov 05

Dinner at Fish & Co., Parkway Branch with my Bible College Principal - Rev. Dr. Weldyn Houger and his wife, Rev. Barbara Houger. Thank God for a wondeful fellowship and also a time of sharing and learning. This picture was taken after we have our meal. Sis. Barb, ordered a normal fish & chips, while Bro. Houger and me ordered New York Fish & Chips. I regretted my choice 'cos, it's salty and heavy as it was deep fried. Guess i will stick to my Corriander Catch next time. They will be flying back to States on 30 Nov 05, it will be another half a year before I could see them. I thank God that I am able to know them and to be taught by them. Thank God that they stay near my place and if could they will send me home after class or school function.

That's me! 

Forwarded by my friend: I wonder how you would feel if you are at the actual beach - in the midst of gigantic squid! Personally I wonder does the flesh of the squid is tough??? 

Forwarded by my friend: what a gigantic moose! Wow!  

It's Been A While

It's been a while since I post new thoughts....that's because I have found a job....tired after long hours of working....but thank God for the Joy that is still in my heart.

Wheels!

I always want to learn how to ride a skateboard, ice-skating, roller blade too...But it seems like anything there are wheels...I have difficulty in mastering it besides the bicycle...

I remembered that when I was a kid, roller-skating was the "in" thing but I got a bad fall that hit the back of my head and a sprained wrist...Thank God I didn't die but one thing was that I was a slower learner for about a decade...Until I got a high fever at the age of 21 or 22..And after that high fever, strange enough, I tend to pick up things faster.

Next was skateboarding...Wanted to learn, I even tried out but no courage to get it move as I find myself unable to balance due to fear....haiz...

Roller Blading...I managed to wear the roller bade but all I did was to stand and tried to move a bit with 2 teenagers holding on to me...Not bad lah...Maybe I will try the next time...hahah...

Ice-Skating...No wheels but I hurt my knee caps while trying to maneuver it, fell down and later part of it over-strained my knees...

Skate-Scootering...At last I am able to learn something that have wheels! Don't have the confidence to try to move around...but I pluck up my courage and try to play with it...and I improved....yeah...Thank God that I am able to learn something new in the Leaders' Retreat 2005!

The Hand of GOD

I thank God that no matter how old I grow, HE still will hold my
hand and guide me until the day I see Him in glory land.

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’


Isaiah 41:13 (NKJV)
For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’


Isaiah 42:6 (NKJV)
"I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand;
I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the Gentiles..."

See..."melting house" structure fowarded by my friend...I wonder where is this place and would like to visit the structure myself....oh..so nice... 

Stand Storm Picture forwarded by my friend. This happened in Iraq. It's so scary and imagine the people there suffering from the dust and the enormous amount of sand covering their homes and area. 

TEARS

Picture found from http://www.trekearth.com/themes.php?thid=941

The above picture was named "Tears"

How come I would write on this topic tears? Well, as I am sweeping the floor and praying at the same time - rather talking to Father God, some things in my heart and I told Him that I want to cry and I began to recall the time at age 19, how I prayed to God that I want my tears back.

I was being brought up in a family culture that crying was not good. Maybe the adults don't know how to handle when a kid cries...so by the age of 17, i tell myself not to cry even in tough situations. (I see my mom that even how tough the family situation is or sometimes she quarrelled with my papa, she did not show out her grief or sadness or hurts in terms of tears.
Therefore, in my mind, I some how taught myself that adults cannot cry...and I have problems seeing people cry, especially in church when I was at age 13. To me adults cannot cry).

But I really thank God was that I told Him that I need back my tears, i need to express out how I feel, my emotions....God did answered my prayers.

I read in a small 15min. devotion book by Dr. Ruth Fowke - A Way through Depression, how an article on "Precious Tears" thought me something - that if we divert a child away from his or her tears he/she would learn to suppress his/her tears and in time might become unable to express, or even accept, the powerful feelings behind the outward show of tears. (Paraphrased).
But if an adult cuddled the child when he/she is hurt (to let the child feel safe and secure as to the hurt he/she was experiencing), until the pain abated, then played with him as before, that way the child's confidence and his/her ability to handle the knocks of life would be built up.

Wow, what a powerful effect tears can contribute in our lives. But what I really like and appreciates is that God - our Heavenly Father keeps our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8)!
I really wonder how big or huge is that bottle!

Okay...that's some thoughts about tears....

What is Love?

I Corinthians 13:4-10 says:

4Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

Unconditional Love of God

I really thank God that He reminded me that His love besides ETERNAL, without FAVORITISM, is also UNCONDITIONAL.

Thank GOD!

Thank God for protecting my friend and I from being hit & hurt by a golf ball that was being shot out from the practice golf-course at East Coast.

Both of us were engrossed in our conversation and suddenly there is this "thud" sound hitting the ground, later I realised that it was a golf ball. Thank God that we didn't walk fast if not either
one of us will get hit or hurt by the hard golf ball!

I really wonder who was the super professional golfer...if not who is able to hit the ball so high
over the fence across the field?

In all thank God for watching over us.

"GOD'S TIME"
By Brenda A. McMahon

When you get really tired,
Of waiting on God's hand;
Think about Moses,
And the Promised Land.
They all wandered around,
Forty years and many nights;
And they weren't just looking,
At all the pretty sights.
Many wandered around,
And complained, most of them;
That's because their faith,
Grew so very dim.
We must pray and believe,
And then, in God's own time;
You'll receive God's Promise,
And your life He will realign.

Copyright 1999 Brenda A. (Preston) McMahon

"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart;
wait, I say, on the Lord".
Psalm 27:14

The Principal's Office

Principal from elite primary school: "...girl...you must study hard...if not you will go to stupid secondary school (those not so well-know secondary school - which means those neighbourhood schools)...if you don't behave yourself...(the principal twist his body and opened a cupboard full of canes, try to frighten me)...I will punish you..." (I am just a Primary 2 kid at that time...imagine the stress level I am going through...)

Current Principal from AGBC: " Janey, I would like to encourage you is that..."

Yesterday, 11 May 2005, I have a chat with the Principal for an assessment of my strengths & weakness. When I went back home, besides thinking about what my bible school principal told me, suddenly I recalled of the day when I need to meet my elite primary school principal - just because I flung my test and in that elite school, they want to make sure every student makes the mark of scoring so as not to pull down the ranking of the school. That's why when a student failed a test, he/she could not get back their test papers, not only that, one of the parents need to go to the principal's office together with their child to listen to the principal's story, after that the test papers will be returned to the child so that their mum/dad could sign on the test papers. Sign...tedious...right? What to do? The educational system in Singapore is not targeting at teaching the kids or the students to appreciate that joy of learning but competition and acceptance is only you could prove yourself much more brighter and smarter than any one else. Of course there are a handful of schools that are very good to the students.

Two decades later, I am being found in the principal's office again. Not because I have done something wrong or incorrigible...hahaha....but I would like the principal to give me an assessment of my strengths and weakness - in short what he saw in my attitudes.

I am surprised by the way how he looks at a person and how he encouraged a student. Even he sees a weakness, he did not say that this is a negative side of yours, he simply just said that he would like to see me improve in one of the area of _________.

This is what I really meant by building a student up and really valuing and appreciating the student. I went out of the Principal's office with a sense of renewed strength and I felt that I have gone closer in knowing him. Truly he is a shepherd that I could learn from. (I must also remember that Jesus is the Greatest Shepherd - The Shepherd of my soul).

I remember that I learnt this song "THE SHEPHERD OF MY SOUL" when I am a young Christian:

Shepherd of my soul

I give You full control

Wherever You lead I will follow

I have made the choice

To listen to Your voice

Whenever You may lead I will go

Chorus:

Be it in a quiet pasture

Or by a gentle stream

The Shepherd of my soul is by my side

Should I face a mighty mountain

Or a valley dark and deep

The Shepherd of my soul will be my guide

Hope what I have shared will be a blessing to those who read.

Communion

Today we have communion after our last small group lesson. My teacher made it a special because it is their last few months in Singapore and they need to return to USA. I will miss them as they have touched my life with a Christian parents love that I did not experience before. They accepted me as who I am, appreciated my presence in school, prayed for me and one thing not many is able to do - esteemed me and each and every of the students higher that themselves. Oh yes that they sent me home after lesson. :)

I remember the 1st time i have a communion with my cell group was the year before I go to Young Adult Service. To remember it, I suggested to the Cell-Leader that I would like to have
communion with the Cell, and coincidently I partake of the communion together with the class today. (It is also small group, the difference was that it was a module - Small Group)

Pardon me, for not writing properly - no inspiration - I don't feel sad, but it's just the normal feeling of someone I loved had to leave. Haiz...they belong to God...not me...this is the first time I really respected my teachers since I entered AGBC....

One of my favouroite flowers - Gerbras... 

Forwarded by my friend - believe it or not - it's a painting! 

Forwarded by my friend - the world most beautiful airport!