Church closes the 40th Anniversary celebration with a time capsulte that is to be opened 40 years later!
Amongst the 40 items are 13 foot clay inprints of babies borned in 2006. One of the prints is Eliora's. I wonder how she would feel 40 years later when she and her children see her own little foot inprint. Haha.
And they placed 2 copies of Faithlink (Church's newsletter/magazine). The exciting thing is that my articles are inside the 2 copies. One leadership and another silence christmas. I wonder if I would be alive to witness the unearthing of the time capsule and see my own articles. In one of this article, Zuriel name was mentioned. :-)

Thank God that my family could be part of the time capsule.

School has started 3 weeks and it has been very busy and tiring weeks. Sec. 1 orientation, parents dialogue, scholarship .. to name a few. Next Sat, parenting workshop!

And I am teaching Sec 2 again, after not teaching them for a few years. This means reading up and revising the material.

I do enjoy teaching 5B though. Just 28 of us. Small and good rapport. I am looking forward to meeting them for the 5 days ahead. 4EFG seem more serious. I think the pract seem good. Some how, it excited them about Chemistry.

Home front, kids had flu but mild. Thank God. Eliora is able to crawl about well and learning to stand and squat. Today, she kissed me!! :-) She initiated the kiss.. haha. Her mom was jealous. Hanern is better in writing and spelling. I am so proud of him. Karis is so keen for school... haha

Had been busy so did not hav time to enter reflection. This one is important. so I am gonna enter.

"Submit to God and be at peace with Him; In this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from His mouth and lay up His words in your heart." Job 22:21-22

I call this the basic. Basic of out relationship to our Maker. No complication but simple instruction. But nevr easy to follow unless His Holy Spirit helps us.

THE EARTH DESTROYED BY FLOOD

I suppose the recent flooding here and in our region reminds me that flood is no small matters. For Singapore, we are usually spared from natural disaster. It was quite hard to believe when we heard of flood up to shoulder height.

For the days of the old, man sin flooded the world and God had to do a clean up with a flood, except for Noah and family. Noah means comfort and he did bring comfort. In days of evil and pain (God was grieved), Noah was a comfort.

His offering was a pleasing aroma to God. His complete obedience too was a pleasing aroma. He walked with God.

In return, God established the first convenant - with the rainbow as the sign. Rainbow always bring comfort for it comes either before or after rain. In days of uncertainty, remember Rainbow - God's covnenant and promise.

Ever told a lie and then try to cover it with another one and then leads on to one more?

Sin has this multiplyinh effect. The next great event after creation is the fall, falling into sin when Eve and Adam decided to eat the forbidden fruit. The whole humanity, rather the earth, changed because of that act of biting into the fruit. Actually, it is not the act but the disobedience. Or, go further, that disobedience stemmed from doubting God - thinking tha God could be keeping what is good from us. In Eve case, it was the chance to be wise as God.

Sometime, I think I try to act smart and ended sinning against God.

Do you?

Dear God, please teach me to stay 'foolish' when it is about trying to act smart. Amen

I am starting a reflection series based on a book I bought on Doulos. It is a guide 'Cover to Cover' where bible passages are arranged chronologically.

First reading is on pre-creation and creation. All of His creation came about by His word. Except Adam. He actually made him, mould him and breath into him. That's the key difference. We are made in His image.

This means that there is no place for me treat fellow human as object. Each is made in God's image. The present world, with all the rush and busyness, we tend to 'objectise' people. It just make our lives 'easier' but not better. We too beging to lose our human-ness when we start to 'objectise' others. We 'objectise' oursleves.

Lord, help me to remember that the next person I talk to is made in your image. Amen.

As I cross over to 2007, I spent some time thanking God for 2006.

The birth of Eliora is the biggest event for me in 2006. She is so so so cute. She is adventurous, playful, she scream when she is unhappy and smile readily when you smile at her. Thank God the labour was the easiest amongst the three.

Diploma in Departmental Management course was my best time in my career. I could read - good books on leadership and also one wuxia novel - even reading at the side of the pool. I could relax and chat during lunch and tea break. I got time to reflect and relax. Space for myself and God.

My family and parents are well.

I finally got a MP3 player. A little luxury for myself.

The classes I taught were made of fine people.

Teaching has been enjoyable though there were moment of distress.

God delivered me.. in many occasions.

Those joyful moments and those quiet moments.

Thanks Be to God.