"But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast."

Being merry is a state of mind. Joy is happy even the circumstances do not encourage so. That take faith. Joy is to know that God loves us even when we are not worthy or when the situation seem to point otherwise. This joy is supported by the faith in that our Lord is faithful.

Take time to look to His love for us, menifested on the Cross. :-)

Lord, thank you that I can be joyfuil despites of everything. Amen

"He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory."

God's economy is not like the world. He raises the weak and forgotten people. He expects His Church to act so too. Often, we are more ready to honour people who are rich, powerful, well qualified, able to pay back our kindness, able to do this or that. But God expects us to act like Him, to reach out to those who can't pay back.

Actually, they do pay back. They teach us God's grace. They let us experience the reality of God's grace as we serve them. AS we serve as God's vessel and medium of grace, we too encounter His grace and power. We become aware that we too are unworthy beggar, the poor from the dust and He adopted us to be His children.

Perhaps Henri Nouwen http://www.henrinouwen.org/ said it best:
The word became flesh so as to wash my tired feet. He touches me precisely where I touch the soil, where earth connects with my body that reaches out to heaven. He kneels and takes my feet in his hands and washes them. Then he looks up at me and, as his eyes and mine meet, he says: "Do you understand what I have done for you? If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you must wash your brothers' and sisters' feet" (John 13:13-14). As I walk the long, painful journey toward the cross, I must pause on the way to wash my neighbors' feet. As I kneel before my brothers and sisters, wash their feet, and look into their eyes, I discover that it is because of my brothers and sisters who walk with me that I can make the journey at all.

Lord, thank you for being gracious to me. May I too be the vessel of your grace. Amen

For the past weeks, I had the opportunities to talk with people who had to made decision about post O level choices. Somehow, at the back of my mind, I wish I could know God's plan for their whole life time in a flash and tell them what to do next?

But God doesn't operate in this way. Very often, He choses to lead in small steps. He never told David he would be king since he was young, neither did Saul knew he would be the first king. Perhaps only Jesus was the One who knew He would die for us.

From Bible and from my own exprience and good Christian literature and counsel that God leads us in each small step.

So how then can we know which choice is God's plan for us?

Let me suggest some questions to think about.

1. Is it going against God's moral will? A career in vices or to have an affair is definitely out.
2. What are your talents and gifts given by God, your interest incalcated by God and epxerience and value from His teaching? How would this choice match that?
3. How willthis glorify God and draw men to Christ?
4. Will this stumble other, Christian and Non-Christian, and myself?
5. Prompting of the Holy Spirit?

Given all this, we often step into decision with uncertainity. But that is faith, walking with only limited vision yet with a clear vision of God holding our hands walking into uncertainty. God is good all the time. Even if we made mistake, He will lead us back.

I think there are 3 conditions that are important. One, walk closely with God. The closer we are the easier for us to know His will. Two, we must be prepared to obey ane be open to His leading and to obey. Third, prayer.

Just one more thing, christian counsel from elders and friends.

I hope this help. Let me know.

"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father.""

We are a new creature in Christ we new relationship with God. This relationship of adopted child to Father changes not only our status but our relating to Him. God is no longer some distant Judge but a loving Father whom we can turn to.

As oppose to our prior relationship of sinner to God, we can now look to Him whenever we face trouble. We know He forgives as we repent from our sins. It is no longer living in fear but living in confidence that with His help, we can be more than conqueror.

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, was one person living in fear before he knew that he was indeed forgiven during his Aldersgate experience. He would record his thoughts and deeds to check that he was not sinning and that he kept a holy to ensure he pleased God. He was like a 'paranoid'. But when he learnt that God has forgiven him, he was changed not just his heart, but he acted in greater faith. Let's live in the power of Resurrection.


Let John Wesley speaks for himself:
In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while the leader was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.
The Journal of John Wesley, May 24, 1738

Lord, let me live in the Spirit of Adoption, to be truly, the King's adopted child. Amen.

Pa pa is the tirshaw man (at Gardenasia)

My wife booked a car under the car-coop scheme. So we went to buy fan etc.
Went to Sungei Kadut, thinking of visiting farms, aquarium and orchard. A wet day but didn't dampen out spirit. Stopped over to see warehouse sale of scanteak... very expensive still.

Went to an aquarium and a nursery. The nursey is nice, so we hide in their training room while it poured outside. Bought spearmint and one of my favourite plant, Hoya. Think I am abit crazy about mint family plants now. haha. Anyway, nice smell.

We had a chane to cycle a trishaw. See pic. nice!

Nowaday Karis is harder to feed. Lost my cool with her during dinner... noti ger. Pray she wil start to eat properly. She is like angmo, prefer bread, nuggets etc but not rice. Sigh

Today I had special visitor, 3 of my 'favouritest' ex-students turned friends, Fiona, Cheryl and Peiluan visted me. Bought me Chicken rice too. A highlight for sure. We talked and talked and did something noti. haha.

I was very touched that Yilong and company go all out to help their friends. I also want this type of friends.

Lesson with 5B was 'unproductive' but fun. We were distracted by the wasp building a nest in the classroom. Told them that wasp and hornet sting caterpillars and then put them into their nest so that when the young hatches, it will feed on it. They then open up the nest and true enough caterpillarS dropped out. It was hiliarous. Some of them behave like really never seen caterpillar before... haha. Ying Jie was very brave, she actually held the caterpillar with bare hand.

5A/B asked me if I want to order their class T-shirt. Nice of them... :-) thanks.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

'How are you?' is a question that can be superficial or sincere. At the end of the movie, American Beauty, Lester, the main character, was asked a question, "How are you?". He smiled back and told the enquirer that had been a long time since he was asked that question. What a sad thing! It reflected the sad stage of lack of human touch and concern.

We are called to be light and salt of God. We can bring God's light into someone else live by a simple 3 words 'how are you?' When asked sincerely, we touch another person live. We all need to be heard and be know that someone else is concern for us. Ask the question and don't stop there. Go further to know them, their joy and worries. As the conversation goes, let the person know you care. I think, 'how are you?' is a window for God's light to penetrate into someone soul.

Lord, may my 'how are you?' be sincere and seasoned with your salt and light. Amen

On Sunday, church had missions recruitment. We converted the covered carpark at level 3 into a carnival styled setting. People get to move around to see what areas of missions and outreach they can be involved. It is also a time for the groups to promote their efforts and recruit more people to help.

Having taking a break from leading youth group for more than 6 mths, I am asking God when and where I should start serving again. I can go back to the youth ministry, The Tackle Box, or into another new ministry. What caught my attention is the Alpha course. It is a ten week study to introduce people to the Christian faith. It like a seeker class where those who are not sure what Christianity is about but want to find out more. I am thinking if this is something I can serve. I have always been burdened by the needs to tell people about the love of God and this may well be a good opportunities. I am still praying.

Anyway, the cell group meeting we discussed on serving God and one key point that came up was to serve God thru serving others even if it mean going the extra mile or being it intrude our planned scheduled. Today, I practised that. Got to meet a few of the alumni to help them plan and think over their next step after knowing their posting or non-posting. I enjoyed it though it mean I am doing less work. But there are things that cannot be measured by tanglible work. I think I pleased God and I think I have helped them.. I hope so.

Had 2 hours with 5B. I think they are more serious... at least some fo them. I have enjoyed the time with them. :-) Keep it up 5B!!

No time to write... so I thot I can share an article by Bishop Solomon, Methodist Church in Singapore (since Good Friday is coming):

A GROUP of eminent historians got together to share what they imagined would have happened if certain well-established historical events had turned out differently. In their book What If and its sequel More What If they use their imagination and expertise in history to entertain history buffs. What if Socrates had died in a battle he fought in 424 BC, before he met his student Plato? What if Napoleon had invaded North America? What if Martin Luther was burned at the stake in 1521? Such were the questions asked by the historians. One of them, Yale University Christian historian Carlos Eire, explores how history would have turned out if Pontius Pilate had spared Jesus and not sent Him to the cross.

In his imaginary narrative, Eire moves to various successive scenes, the trial of Jesus, one year, 30 years and 60 years after the trial, and another 230 years later to the time when Constantine was Roman Emperor. He paints the image of an aging Jesus and the emergence of a form of Judaism, a "Christianity without the crucifixion". But we all know that history did not turn out that way. Thank God!
This month the Church will observe the historical events that occurred 2,000 years ago when Jesus was crucified on the cross and rose victoriously from the dead three days later.
At the tomb of Jesus: He is not here, for He has risen.

It is possible, however, that the season of celebrating Good Friday and Easter every year might degenerate into mere empty ritual observance. Or superficial experience when every year we, with preoccupied minds and distracted hearts, walk past the cross and empty tomb with practiced habit, with little or no awe and wonder. The annual observance of Good Friday and Easter is not meant to lull us to such distracted and false familiarity with the greatest mystery in human history. Rather, it should jolt us back to reality, to the most important facts about God and ourselves.

One way we can help prevent the wonder and depth of this holy season from fading is to ask ourselves the "What If …" questions. In fact, Scripture does the same thing.
What if Christ had not died on the cross?
The writers of the New Testament answer this question by stating clearly why Jesus had to die on the cross. Yes, it is true that Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to the cross to be crucified. But that is only part of the answer. Scripture says that all of us sent Him to the cross. He died because of us.
The apostle Peter declared that "Christ died for sins, once for all". (1 Pet. 3:18). The fact that Jesus died for our sins is further reiterated by Paul when he observed that "Christ died for our sins, according to Scriptures". (1 Cor. 15:3). But what do Peter and Paul mean? Why did Jesus have to die for our sins? Here again, Scripture is clear. We all have sinned (Rom. 3:23). The consequence of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). There are no exceptions and we were all headed for judgment, condemnation, and eternal death, unless God Himself intervened. And God did intervene -- that is how we are to understand the coming of Jesus into this world and His death on the cross.
The writer of Hebrews explained to his Jewish readers that Jesus made a "sacrifice of himself" (Heb. 9:26,28). The Jewish readers, with their Jewish background, would have understood the author's point. Centuries of animal sacrifices in the Jewish tabernacles and temples, performed to atone for the sins of the people, all pointed to the one sacrifice that really matters, the once for all sacrifice of Jesus when He died on the cross to atone for our sins. No wonder that John Wesley testified that the blood of Christ is the remedy for the sickness in our souls. Or as P. T. Forsyth summarised, the death of Christ is "the one final treatment of sin, the one compendious work of grace, and the one hinge of human destiny".

The crucifixion of Jesus was not a historical accident. It was a carefully planned event, as indicated by Paul when he pointed out that Christ's death was "according to Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3). God had already revealed to His prophets how and why the Son of God would die. Before the thought of Jesus dying on a cross occurred in Pilate's mind, it had already occurred in God's. God was not surprised by the turn of events.
Neither was Jesus the unwilling victim of Pilate's command. Scripture makes it clear that in the surreal scene when Jesus was judged by Pilate and sentenced to death, it was Pilate who was, like all of us, the condemned prisoner. He thought he was the judge and had no idea that Jesus whom he thought was the condemned prisoner was in fact the One who is coming to judge the living and the dead. In the trial, Jesus was the one in control for He declared that He was voluntarily going to the cross (Jn. 19:10-11). John says as much when he wrote that "Jesus laid down his life for us." (1 Jn 3:16). Jesus died willingly because He loved us, even while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8).
What if Christ had not died on the cross? Then there would be no atonement for our sins. We would still be headed for eternal damnation. All the little pleasures on earth would only be a momentary distraction from certain and ultimate doom for every member of the human race.

Want to share something I read:

We come to the strangest story of all, the story of the Resurrection. It is very necessary to get the story clear. I heard a man say, "The importance of the Resurrection is that it gives evidence of survival, evidence that the human personality survives death." On that view what happened to Christ would be what had always happened to all men, the difference being that in Christ's case we were privileged to see it happening.
This is certainly not what the earliest Christian writers thought. Something perfectly new in the history of the Universe had happened. Christ had defeated death. The door which had always been locked had for the very first time been forced open. This is something quite distinct from mere ghost-survival. I don't mean that they disbelieved in ghost-survival. On the contrary, they believed in it so firmly that, on more than one occasion, Christ had had to assure them that he was not a ghost. The point is that while believing in survival they yet regarded the Resurrection as something totally different and new.
The Resurrection narratives are not a picture of survival after death; they record how a totally new mode of being has arisen in the Universe. Something new had appeared in the Universe: as new as the first coming of organic life. This Man, after death, does not get divided into "ghost" and "corpse." A new mode of being has arisen. That is the story. What are we going to make of it?
The question is, I suppose, whether any hypothesis covers the facts so well as the Christian hypothesis. That hypothesis is that God has come down into the created universe, down to manhood - and come up again, pulling it up with him. The alternative hypothesis is not legend, nor exaggeration, nor the apparitions of a ghost. It is either lunacy or lies. Unless one can take the second alternative (and I can't) one turns to the Christian view.
"What are we going to make of Christ?" There is no question of what we can make of him, it is entirely a question of what he intends to make of us. You must accept or reject the story.
The things he says are very different from what any other teacher has said. Others say, "This is the truth about the Universe. This is the way you ought to go," but he says, "I am the Truth, and the Way, and the Life." He says, "No person can reach absolute reality, except through me. Try to retain your own life and you will be inevitably ruined. Give yourself away and you will be saved." He says, "If you are ashamed of me, if, when you hear this call, you turn the other way, I also will look the other way when I come again as God without disguise. If anything whatever is keeping you from God and from me, whatever it is, throw it away. If it is your eye, pull it out. If it is your hand, cut it off. If you put yourself first you will be last. Come to me everyone who is carrying a heavy load. I will set that right. Your sins, all of them, are wiped out, I can do that. I am Rebirth. I am Life. Eat me, drink me, I am your Food. And finally, do not be afraid, I have overco! me the whole Universe." That is the issue.

Son wanted to go for the sand castling... pestering me since he woken up. Our plan was simple, breakfast, swimming pool, pack and check out den lunch. In the end, I went with son to the beach while mother and dotta headed for the pool.

What was fun was that there were some small fishes that came along side. Hanern experience wave for the first time too. He was a bit frighten but ok. I am tanned this time, infact... red on my arms. My children are darker too. Haha. Anyway, we picked a shell and he was very happy about it. Came home want to put all the shells together.

We showed him how wave work back home. So both of them happily blowing into the basin of water. Of cos, Karis drank some water. What I am pleasantly surprised was Hanern could thot of bringing the basin to the fan and let the fan blow to create wave. :-)

Looking our for peacock beside the Beach
son in school

Smiling widely on the last day of monorail
son in school

Got this from somewhere...

Moses stuttered.
David's ego was bigger than his armor.
John Mark was rejected by Paul.
Hosea married a prostitute.
Amos thought fig-tree pruning was a homiletics class.
Jacob was a liar.
David had an affair.
Solomon was too rich.
Abraham was too old.
David was too young.
Timothy had ulcers.
Peter was afraid of death.
Lazarus was dead.
John Mark was naked.
Jesus liked to hang around with troublemakers and troubled people.
Naomi was a widow.
Isaiah had a branded tongue.
Jesus heard voices. Paul saw visions.
Jonah ran from unwelcome voices.
Miriam was the voice of gossip.
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
Jeremiah was depressed, suicidal, and always crying.
Elijah was burned out and like to run around naked.
John the Baptist was a loudmouth who lived on locusts.
Martha was a worry-wart and subject to anxiety attacks.
Mary was lazy.
Samson had long hair and was short on self-control.
Noah got skunk drunk.
Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?
So did Peter and Paul, who feuded with one another publicly.
I could keep going.

"don't mistake anonymous with insignificance". That's the statement that stucked in me when Pastor Shih Min preached today. The title was SHAPED for serving GOD. The emphasis was more on attitude. He said attitude determines maturity. It is not about gifts and ability but about attitude. Our attitude should be like that of Christ (Phil 2:1-11). The message helped me I to a certain extend in handling my current feeling of disappointment.

The O level analysis is out and science result in comparison to other schools showed that it is not tat good. I had struggled 'self-survival worries' and tat disturb me more than the actual results. The message re-aligned me to God's calling to serve Him thru serving others. I do not need to measure myself with the result but with my attitude. And my 'self-survival worries' tell me that I am not there yet. I need to work on that , that when I serve, I serve out of gratefulness and not for self-significance. I gonna just trust Him and fix my eyes on the Cross. :-)

Today, dotta is having slight cold. So I went to church with my son, just 2 of us. It is alse kind of like personal time with him. I enjoyed it. We took cab, talked, sat together durign service. A good biy he is, let me listen thru the sermon. There was ministry fair today, so instead of going there, we went to Jolly Creek to do my artand craft. Then lunch at Tanglin Halt Ten Storey. Bought the sand castle set for him. He was very happy and had no heart to finish his fried rice lunch. He was eager to go home and play the sand castle set. haha. Bought a freash coconut to drink. It was his first try. Ha ha. I enjoyed it very much.

Afternoon till evening was my wife turn to go out. Stay with them and we went out to get dinner. Watch Finding Nemo with them too... my many many times. Haha.. they never sian with it.

Thank God for today..... have you thanked Him too?

"For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught."

Where do I place my trust? At crossroads of my life, I have to ask that question. To trust God or to trust myself. It seem so easy to say that to trust the all wise Almighty is the obvious. But in reality, I struggled. Can I put down the financial security of my present job and take up missions work? What about my children education? Are the water there clean?

Or at the work place, do I speak the truth and take the risk of being persecuted? Can i trust God that He will protect and deliver when I obey Him? When confronted with real issues, it is not easy to trust. But trusting Him is a learning journey. Learn to trust Him in small things and it will be easier to trust Him in bigger areas. The problem is the tendency to trust ourselves to solve problems or made decision. Still, continue to work on. That's discipleship.

Lord, teach me to trust, even if it is difficult. Amen.

Had to send some form by hand to SEAB (Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board) at Bt. Ho Swee. It brought back many memories. It was my 'playgound' when I was small. My grandparents stayed and still stat at Tiong Bahru.

Every Sat., my aunty will sponsor and direct me and my brother to go to the 'peak' to buy biscuit, the three layered waffle with cream type. The uncle would open and weigh out the biscuit. I can't remember how much, but it was a big package. Some time, we buy bread instead and ask for kaya and butter spread. It was the old traditional bread where they had to remove the burnt skin. We would then go back and all of us would sit in front of the black and white TV and wait eagerly for the afternoon matinee. Tarzan was the all time favourite then. We waited eagerly to see how Tarzan would battle the lion or the tribe. Haha... it was that simple.

I visited an aquarium which was there since I was small. They have not changed much except the items they are selling. I remember how my bro and I would be very excited to see what new fishes have they stocked up and we would be calculating if we could buy any new fishes. My uncle then was gold fish lover. He spent $30 to buy a pair of big gold fish. That's alot then, and still is. Anyway, the investment was sound, cos they later laid many eggs. I had the chance to watch the female laying eggs while the male chasing behind to release the sperm. And finally the fry hatched. It was fun.. no wonder I love nature and biology.

I miss those days.... :-)

"The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressesd, a refuge in times of trouble."

Facing a difficult time? God is the refuge to hide in. For us to rest and to feel safe. I am thankful that in my moments of hard time, God has always been my refuge, where I could run to.

Those moments includes when I wasn't sure of my future (after my O and A, and graduation), faivng transition (from study to working live), sickness (my loved ones who were sick), stressed out (work, exams, project deadline), difficult situations (problems that cannot be resolved easily). When I go to God in prayer, I found myself resting in His peace which the world cannot give. I could smile at the storm, as the children song goes. Will you do that now if you are facing trouble or very tired out by your problems? He wants to be your refuge.

Share a song with you, "What a friend we have in Jesus."

Lord, thank you that I can hide in You even if the world is crumbling down. I can :-) at the storm. Amen

"Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy."

Showing kindness and forgiveness to someone when you have the right to do the opposite does not come natural. The Lord commands and conditional promise is meant for the supernatural. It is easier to be kind to those whom we like, or we find pitiful. But God expects us to be merciful. It is to be part of our character, not just an action we selectively act out.

Today, while teaching, I had this moment of anger. I just got irritated. I wanted to shouted at them and put them down. But I know it will hurt their feelings and, by His grace, I didn't. I was trying my best to get a few students to pay attention yet wanting to give them 'face', but they just keep talking and did not realise what I was trying to do. What should I do? I decided that I will have to talk to one of them. I had to point out to her my frustration and she needs to improve. But i will say in with all the love I can muster. Merciful is not being weak or condoning but knowing how to act out the love we have for the person. Showing love to people who may seem to be the least deserving according to how our Lord loved us while we were aginst Him.

Lord, help me to be merciful. In moments when I fail, be merciful to your sinner servant. Amen

"For when were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

We dun have the stength to do good. We dun have the strength to be right with God. Think of time when you have to kick off a bad habit or to pick up good habit. It wasn't easy, generally speaking. I think new year resolution illustrates the poiint most obviously. We often break them. Religions tell us that if we live within certain ways (stay away from vices, be good etc) and use certain approaches (meditation, denial, do charity etc) but these standard is still below Gods holy standard. But probably not many people couldfollow the religions' standards. Does that mean that the salvation of the ppl is limited to that few? The verse states that we did not have the power to be good or to make peace with God. Salvation is meant for all to have.

While we did not have the power to take the frist step, Christ died for us the ungodly, to help us to be right with God. So that we can be righteous in His name. True humility is to recognise that we are weak and we need Him to save us.

There are two responses: to give thanks that He took the first step to save us and to accept His salvation if have yet to do so.

Lord, thank you for taking the first step as I did not have the power to take the first step. Amen.

"Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!"

There is a place for emotion in our walk with the Lord. The thot of God amongst them leads to the calling to shout out for joy. It is amazing that God would choose to walk amongst us, selfish, sinful people. Sadly, hundreds of year after this calling was issued, when God truly incarnated to walk amongst His people, they did not shout for joy, but shouted for His crucification. As we move towards Good Friday, let's be mindful that He was amongst His people but they could not recognise them.

Today, it could be true too. Could He be in the person who is in need? In Matthew 25:40, Jesus said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me." Let us not just celebrate the presence of the beauties and mighty but the poor and suffering, for they bring us the presence of Christ when we response in Christ-like manner. Shout for joy that today you have a chance to do something for the least.

Lord, help me to recognise Christ when He is in our midst. Amen

CNY gathering - who want ice-cream?
son in school

Wanted to blog about today's result release but too drained. There's go my counsellor training about attached yet detached. I am enmeshed with my students' emotions!!

The interview by the EV teams, 3 hours!! I am drained. Can't think properly. So I shall blog about my inner thots tomorrow.. i hope I will servive tomorrow 3 hours interview again!

To those of you who got your result... God leads. Will share with me my past experiences of how God's blessing seem to appear after the bend.