I've decided to close this site and continue with my previous pumpkinmagic site, given that next year is my year of hope and new beginnings.

Where's the logic in this?!

True value

I've had "true value" on my gtalk over the past couple of days and received more questions on what it means than my other shoutouts - mostly questions of what it means. It's interesting how "value" is important to people.

So, what is of true value? Relationships. Our impact here on earth in our lifetime. People who have made a difference in our lives.

Thank you Father for your gift of a wonderful family and for M.

going thru the refiner's fire.

Learning to submit in obedience to God's will ... scary stuff.

I'm ready for the next leap! What is it???

The way in which Teoh died is truly heartbreaking and my heart goes out to his fiancee and family. May justice prevail!

I offer my life

We sang this very scary song at Wesley today:

(Verse 1)
All that I am, all that I have
I lay them down before you, oh Lord
All my regrets, all my acclaims
The joy and the pain, I'm making them yours

(Chorus)
Lord, I offer my life to you
Everything I've been through
Use it for your glory
Lord I offer my days to you
Lifting my praise to you
As a pleasing sacrifice
Lord I offer you my life

(Verse 2)
Things in the past, things yet unseen
Wishes and dreams that are yet to come true
All of my heart, all of my praise
My heart and my hands are lifted to you

(Chorus)
Lord, I offer my life to you
Everything I've been through
Use it for your glory
Lord I offer my days to you
Lifting my praise to you
As a pleasing sacrifice
Lord I offer you my life

(Bridge)
What can we give
That you have not given?
And what do we have
That is not already yours?
All we possess
Are these lives we're living
That's what we give to you, Lord

(Chorus)
Lord, I offer my life to you
Everything I've been through
Use it for your glory
Lord I offer my days to you
Lifting my praise to you
As a pleasing sacrifice
Lord I offer you my life

(Chorus)
Lord, I offer my life to you
Everything I've been through
Use it for your glory
Lord I offer my days to you
Lifting my praise to you
As a pleasing sacrifice
Lord I offer you my life
Lord I offer you my life

I lurve the Raffles Hotel.... beautiful architecture and old world charm... sigh...

Sponsoring a child

I've been thinking about this for quite a while now. Glad I finally did it... at the very least I hope I've made a difference in one person's life!

Life in SG

End of an era

I shall miss you... and the memories you've carried since 2002.

How I long for a fresh start for us, a new beginning.

Inspired

..to do 3 things:

1. Grow herbs... at least they're of some use apart of making the place greener ;)
2. Join the 10km SCB run in SG this year
3. Carry my cross... literally.

God answers prayer. At some stage years and years ago, I remember praying for his spiritual walk. And to see that God-speak is in his language today is a testament to His grace. Thank you Father.

Daily devotional

I'm trying to get back into the swing of this. And I suppose writing here is in someways a way for being accountable for it.

Yesterday's DD pointed me to Psalm 128:

A song of ascents.

¹ Blessed are all who fear the LORD,
who walk in obedience to him.

² You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.

³ Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.

⁴ Yes, this will be the blessing
for the man who fears the LORD.

⁵ May the LORD bless you from Zion;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.

⁶ May you live to see your children's children—
peace be on Israel.

I'm claiming the promise of this for my life!

it's tough finding real friends... i think it's cos i've been a crap friend myself :P

May our lives together bring glory to you, our Saviour, and testify of your love.

What makes a good Christian marriage? Two good Christians. And, what that means is, that you both love the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart, and He is the priority in your life, and that you, faithfully, together, pursue a path of obedience to Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV)

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I am claiming this! Come into our situation and help meeeeeeeee!!!!!

I am back!! Photos of the road trip later. But, for now some thoughts - this is the time when people move out, move away, walk along new paths in life and settle down for a more sedate and "normal" life. In other words, we're all growing up - finally. :P

We're are all "living a heartbeat from eternity".... it's so true, something I picked up from a dear friend's blog... all the more reason to live with a purpose while we still are here.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God AND his righteousness (Matt 6:33)... hmm what is the kingdom of God and what does it mean for me?

Wikipedia gives a pretty decent account of what it means.

Today's QT reading is rather apt:

Matthew 6:25-34 (New International Version)

Do Not Worry

²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Just a reminder for me - it's a year of change :) bring it on!

Travel agenda!

I need to put some items on my travel agenda, it's already the end of quarter one of the year!!

- Ok, first and foremost - BKK (once the mess settles) for yummy thai food, crazy cheap stuff from Chatuchak, some tailoring
- Boracay - need to do my diving refresher, hens getaway?
- NZ - going in a couple of weeks with the folks... just some R&R and Q-time with them
- I'd love to go to China, either Beijing or Shanghai.... language problem la!

Any place that's cheap (recession la), with loads of shopping and lovely beach/ forest, and yummy food.... let me know!!

I am goin to take more photos this wkend!!! Long over dueeee

Here's one :) Random photo taken at the lovely Hortpark.

My ambition in life is to be a tai tai.

:PPPPPPPPPPPP

Seriously.

Finding a support group here in the office is proving harder than expected!

God has indeed been good. Through the emotional ups and downs, he's still here. Although things cannot always be perfect and expectations need to be aligned. I am happy. :) There are loads of uncertainties, but I trust God will keep us safe in His hands. May His grace and wisdom be the cover over our lives.

Context is ESSENTIAL - people often downplay the significance of team dynamics and how that affects the quality of conversations and deliverables.

I've noticed that Singaporeans in the work in general aren't very nice, or not genuinely nice. Nevertheless, with all generalisations, there're a handful who are wonderful though.

When are you going to start taking the initiative to mend things?

I'm not entirely sure I know what I'm doing. "Everything's different now."

Ways to make money #1

Write a book and live off the royalty.

A temperate spirit, please.

It's all going to be OK. I feel it in my bones. :)

Demanding women

Interesting poem i found while Googling "demanding women".. ekk.

Dealing with demanding women
Such a struggle sometimes for men
Ironically, we who seem to be stronger
Are more easily manipulated longer
Somehow by the weaker of the sexes
It's like they charm and put on hexes
Subtly seduce and devilishly vex us
Play the pity party and gently move us
To cleverly do whatever they want us to
Yet such a game I cannot truly continue
Neither allow myself to succumb to such
For God above has a purpose for me much
Liberated and let go of these types of women
I therefore must allow the winner in me to grin
Get by, move beyond, and be gone with these
Who seek to bring me down or perform tirades
Because my emotional peace within is priceless
No time for women to irritate and argue with
Such trivial quarrels and anger is meaningless
I cannot entertain, nor foolishly deal with this
Because there is a purpose and power for me
As I attend to my Creator's calling wholeheartedly
Therefore I can no longer allow myself to be
Dwarfed, diminished, demoralized, and deadened
By smooth speaking women who seek to control
Dominate, aggravate, irritate, and frustrate me
Such annoyances I cannot allow to be around me
Nor shall I allow the slightest tendency to persist
With my whole heart and devotion I do resist
Emotional outbursts and foul tongued comments
I most go forward with boldness, no hesitance
Because I have learned the power of self-reliance
Thus arrogance and demanding women's defiance
I cannot entertain with any degree of tolerance.

Father, i pray for a change of heart, for grace, for mercy, for comfort, for healing.

hope, hope, hope!

I think the end might be near. Am I resigned to it? No.

Never be to busy to empathise with a friend.

Month 1 update ;)

Adjustment tracker: 2/5

1 = Not adjusted, not settled in.
5 = Very comfortable and fully settled.


Since I'm at it, here're some observations from the month I've been in town:

1) Girls here have nice bags. BUT, they're all the same!! I.e. everyone (almost) has the same bag! SAD.

2) Girls here have nice shoes. :)

3) I have been walking home most evenings now that I've discovered how closeby I live!

It just dawned on me that women tend to make decisions based on emotions... gosh. Rendering the majority poor decision makers. What a realisation.

Holy Week

As we approach Easter, it's appropriate that we spend time to reflect on what Christ has done for us and what this really means to us - personally. How it affects our lives and the actions we choose to take as we journey to be more Christ-like.

I was blessed by the sermon last nite.... will definitely go again tonight!!

Living is hardwork.

I refuse to stop changing or growing for it stops the work of sanctification in my life.

Being patient.... trying really hard, praying really hard.

I realise now how important respect really is. And how wrong I have been to disrespect him.

I need a new beginning.

My eyes are puffy! It's so hard to see!

What in the world am I doing here in the new place? Gosh, I've totally lost my sense of direction. Need to get back on track. Need to find myself. Now, where do I begin?

O Lord, grant me a temperate spirit.

I reckon the times warrant a new blog, a new feel, a new everything. Here goes...