Quote on Happiness

Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose. - Helen Keller

Grace - Laura Story

I love this song...


My heart is so proud
My mind is so unfocused
I see the things You do through me
As great things I have done
And now You gently break me
Then lovingly You take me
And hold me as my father
And mold me as my maker

Chorus:
I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up,
When I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory
How far will forgiveness abound?"
And You answer: " My child, I love You
And as long as you're seeking My face
You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace"

At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged
Knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job
For who am I to serve You?
I know I don't deserve You
And that's the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on

As I walk with You, I'm learning what Your grace really means
The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary
So, instead of trying to repay You
I'm learning to simply obey You
By giving up my life to You
For all that You've given to me

Quote

Let nothing disturb thee;
Let nothing dismay thee;
All thing pass;
God never changes.
Patience attains All that it strives for.
He who has God Finds he lacks nothing:God alone suffices.

St. Teresa of Avila

To keep on going

I've been finding myself feeling rather edgy in the last few weeks.
Perhaps it's been the lack of rest (the Sabbath break seems barely enough to sustain me on a week-to-week basis), perhaps it's due to the inability to further pursue my personal passions at this season of time, perhaps it's having to deal with the constant bombardment of the urgent rather than being able to work on the important, perhaps it's the uneasiness i feel with certain things that I see, perhaps it's the feeling of uncertainty and the fear of failure due to the heavy stakes involved or perhaps it's the built up frustration of dealing with structures rather than relational issues.

Whatever it is, it's been good to have a break today... It's been good to have a good laugh with friends... It's been good to have some time to read through some things for fun rather than for functional purpose... It's been good to have time to think and process my thoughts... It's been good to share a good meal with a couple of friends.. It's been good to talk over some fears with a friend and be reminded of the One my trust is supposed to rest... It's been good just to be able to pray with a friend... It's been good to refocus on the things that are going well - balancing my perspectives - rather than focusing on the concerns all the time...

While it's back to the grind tomorrow, it feels good enough to keep me going on for the coming days - which I'm truly thankful for.. :)

Dear Lord,
Help me to remember that You want me to put my trust in You when things seem to be overwhelming... That You are in the process of molding me.. That things do not have to go smoothly all the time but the bumps are there to teach me to look to You so that I do not go on my own speed... Thank You for all the things that are going well, and in the areas that are not so certain or seems hopeless, help me to believe that You will see me through it though it may not be my in accordance to my way... May Your will be done...

Quote on music

And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs
And as silently steal away.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Day Is Done

Quote on change

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.
Anatole France

This week in my life...

Am sending out a couple of emails.. was leading staff devo earlier this morning...

Let me see, for the rest of this week:
Have a meeting to attend this afternoon (read- afternoon gone)
Am worship leading this Sunday,
Overseeing two cell groups (and leading worship in one),
Preparing Bible study materials (as many as I can - one is due this Friday),
Organising Drum Training workshop this week,
Following up one or two ppl
Possibly a dinner to attend on Sat (my cg member's bday)...
Plus I'm sure i left out one or two things...

Lord Have Mercy...

Deliver Us

For my exodus overview, I showed this opening scene. This has always been one of my favourite parts of the show.

Psalm 138

I've come to appreciate this psalm lately.


Of David. I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.
3 When I called,a you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.
4 May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth.
5 May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great.
6 Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.
8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever-- do not abandon the works of your hands.

Quote

O Lord, thou hast made us, and our spirits are restless until we rest in thee. - Augustine

Waiting for more...

Everything's going well. I had a great time with family during Chinese New Year. We had an open house for the OA ppl from 10am-3pm and many came too. As usual there's so much food. Things are moving in the ministries that I'm involved at and there's a lot of things to do...
Why then do I feel like I'm waiting for more?

Lovely Time

Yesterday was my cousin's wedding. I could not make it for the ceremony but attended the dinner. I had a lovely time.. It's been a long time since all of the cousins got together like this... I'll let the pics speak for themselves...

All of us together (minus one)

All of us together

Girls Only

Fooling around...

Resting

Am now having a much needed break for these few days - something that I've been looking forward to in the last two weeks. Looking back, the last month has especially been a crazy one. There's been so much to do in the office that I find myself being so exhausted at the end of the day. It's definitely been very different from life in seminary. In the last month, my days have been filled with intensive work and off days have been filled with family-related stuff... I've been seriously craving for some down time - time to read, reflect and rest.

Some people tell me that I'm headed for a burn out if I keep on going on this path. However, at this point, I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to do and there doesn't seem to be another way. My pastor who's also my mentor told me to take leave at least one day a month, go somewhere else, totally do nothing and take time to just soak in God's presence. So I'm trying out his advice at the moment.

So far, have spent most of the day sleeping... Tomorrow, I hopefully will have some time to relax and to read and do some reflection... Am super looking forward to it...

Blessed Christmas!

A Blessed Christmas to All!!

Holiday pics

Here's one of many pics that I've been meaning to post up since my Nov Hols... These are taken from our jungle trip... It was a great time of fellowship with my dad, Lucy and my dad's two helpers..

Grateful

I'm thankfully still alive despite the lack of blogging activity...
Have been adjusting rather well to working in church - despite it being busy ALL THE TIME!!! Some days, I just have to remind myself to sit down(literally) in the middle of work and just breathe...

Am grateful for whatever down time I can get and try to rest whenever I am able to.
Several things I miss the most since being here is hanging out with friends, being able to have time to read and reflect...

Nevertheless, being back has been really good. I've been blessed to be with the young people in my church as well as with my uncle, aunt and cousin from Australia who has been visiting (my big bro too!!!)... :)

Happenings

I am beginning to understand why my friends who have graduated previously blog less and less. As soon as I get to work it's go go go all the way and before I know it, it's the end of the day! I'm still trying to find my footing to slow down to have more time to pray or to do some reading but it oftentime seems impossible. There are a hundred ideas and thoughts of what I have to do running in my head and I feel like I can't write them fast enough before I forget or miss out something.

However, I'm so excited cos there are so many things that are moving in the same time and in wonderful ways!
I'm thankful for gentle reminders from good friends to take time out to pray over stuff along the way - things that I may be concerned or getting anxious about.
I'm also grateful for the help that I've been getting from my young people who are so efficient and reliable. God seems to be sending more along the way and I take these as great opportunities to do mentoring and discipleship.
I'm looking forward to visits from different people this month - from close and dear relatives, from a big bro and best friend that I've not seen in ages, from new found friends at the end of the month. :)

Back in church office full-time after graduating!!

Am now in the church office as of 1st Dec 2009.... It's been a crazy last few days - especially because there's a number of big things due by the end of the year. Everything's moving in 5th gear!!! Thankfully I'm not involved in the Christmas preparations *yet*.
Have not had much time to read, write or reflect -it looks like I'll have to leave that for Mondays. I AM thankful for the little help I can get along the way and I'm look forward to see what else God has in store for both my church and for me!!

Right here, right now

Am chilling out at starbucks while waiting for my dad to finish up his stuff... The traveling around has stopped and am glad to be parked in one place - though it may not necessarily mean that it's peaceful... Following my dad around means that life is always on the move as he always seem to have itchy feet and heaps to do.. I finally had to boycott him yesterday so I could rest and just sit in a chair in front of the house and just stare up at the clouds and the mountains and do some reading.. The plan to going into the jungle for the second round has not materialised as heaps of things have cropped up (not to mention that we were in a rather shocking accident two days ago. Thankfully no one was hurt)..

Am just appreciating the silence and the restfulness.. It's been also good to just sit, pray and just sing with my OA friends... All the things that I won't be able to do when I get back to church office.. Yup - am really appreciating where I am right now...

Prayer for today

Another year has come and gone....
A chapter has finished
And another one is about to begin
Thank You for all that is past, both the good and the bad
Thank You for this day where you have created this child so many years ago
Thank You for what's to come
I ask that You keep on holding on to me
Keep on guiding me for what's ahead
That this life may be truly be pleasing unto You..