Christmas -- The Season of Giving, the Season of Love, & the Season of Joy

Christmas is the season where everyone rejoices in the dazzling street lights and the symphony of the christmas carols.

Christmas is a season of thanksgiving, a season of being with your love ones, a season of sharing the good news with the others.

Christmas is an important season that not only does it reminds us of the birth of Jesus, but also marks the ending of a year and the start of a brand new year where your dreams could come true...

How we celebrate and experience Christmas may change every year. For me, this year is a Christmas that is special to me. 2007 is the year I finally graduated from my studies and the first time being in the workforce. 2007 is the year when my cell group has finally multiplied. 2007 is also the year when I finally ready to serve God and was given the chance to do so in Drama ministry this Christmas.

So here I am rounding up on the merry Christmas that I had this year...let share this joy with you guys! ;)

1. Christmas @ Orchard Road

Christmas will not be complete without a big, colourfully decorated Christmas tree.Christmas parade @ Orchard RoadPretty pretty Orchard Road! :P

2. Christmas @ Changs

As usual, this year there are 5 Christmas services at Expo:

22 Dec (Sat) 5pm; 23 Dec (Sun) 10am; 24 Dec (Mon) 745pm; 25 Dec (Tue) 930am & 12noon.

What's more this year is that there are new services over at the Jurong West church since we have started Sunday afternoon services, catering to those members who stay in the west.

So everything is gonna be multiplied by 2: drama, actors/actresses, props, ministry helpers...and hopefully the coming crowd! :))

The highlight of the Christmas services is always the lighting up of the candlelight...the whole place is simply beautiful with the sea of candle lights flickering in the dark hall.

Maybe some of us are going through the darkest stage in their life now.

Maybe they experienced failures in their business and their work.

Maybe they have come with a broken relationship with their families, their love ones or their friends.

Sometimes, all they need is just that someone to light up that candle in their life for them so they can see through the darkness...This year Christmas I need to be present for all the services at Expo since I am serving in the props team. We act as standby and wait next to the stage in case there is any missing or spoilt props that need to be repaired.

Watching the Christmas drama from the backstage is something new to me. It opens me up to the other side of the whole production where others may not be able to understand the commitment we need to sacrifice for this event.

Yet, the result of it is always rewarding...and to see how people are touched by it and make their decisions to come to accept Christ is truly all worth it... :)

3. Drama Ministry!

Timeout in our temporary restroom for the cast & the crew.

With me is Esther (right), Rebecca (middle), and Agnes (far right)...the Women In Black! :P

I am most happy to show you guys the treasure chests I have designed! :D Hahahah...lol I just can't stop that joy as this is the first time AND the first prop I have made ever! To see them being used on stage is quite a morale booster too as I would worry if they are ever good enough to be shown to the audience.

For someone like me who enjoy doing such arts & crafts stuffs, this is like a ministry-hobby combination for me. I enjoy serving God because deep in my heart I truly want to make contribution to his house. Everyone is given different gifts so we can used them in different areas. I may not be someone who can talk or counsel others. I may not have a great voice to praise God on stage like the singers and the choir. Yet, I believe, God has given me a creative mind and good hands to make these little props and help lighten the load of Baoli too...yeah...lol

From a normal A4 carton box, to a treasure chest, and even to have gemstone, jewels and gold bars in the chest actually take up quite some time to make them...yet determination will win the prize ya? :)

4. Fellowship with my cell group members...and endless games of Saboteur! :P

I truly missed them when I was in the backstage. Even Baoli wish to be with her cell group members too. Hence, it was truly the best news to us when we know that we have no rehearsal after the Christmas service on Sunday so that we can join the group. I love you guys so so much!

Juz to let you all know, we are most addicted to this game called "Saboteur" ever since we first played it together at Settlers. You can imagine how much we like this game as both Terence and Tina each bought a set of the card game after that.

Now, we always find a secluded place to play this card game together...and we can play it for hours after hours! :DD

Muddy Mud Pie from Coffee Club!

Somehow, the size seems to have shrunk even with the inflation of the price by $1.90... :X

Kian Hoe is back from Cambridge for this year Christmas. And so does Kat from Indonesia!

We purposedly brought Kian Hoe to taste the local food once again right before another rounds of our usual pool games with the same old pool gang. :P

This is my first time trying fish head steamboat...well to be honest, I don't really like it... :P

5. Christmas present for myself!

The Attributes book 3-for-2 promotion came in just nice for me as I always wanted to buy in a few more spiritual books to fill up my free time, a time to read and relax. Hence I reward myself with 3 books since I finally get my bonus this year...woohoo! :))

Unfortunately, there is just one book that is out of stock and I really wish to get my hands on it. "I Dare You" by Joyce Meyer is a book about the passion for God and how we can maintain it.

Well, maybe I will get it when the stock comes in. Or...who want to bless me with it? Hahaha...juz kidding... :P

Sometimes attending services and cell groups may not be enough in our walk with God. If you truly love God, you will be excited and really want to know much more about him. Quiet time and reading up the books are also essentials to building a closer relationship with God. It not only helps to increase our understanding of what God wants in us, but also to keep our faith strong and to remind us once again that in all the things we do, we need to rely on God and listen to Him with our hearts. That there will always be a soft spot for God to be in the centre of our life, instead of we ourselves controlling our life...

6. Christmas wishlist

These days I have fallen in love with the Crabtree & Evelyn products. I guess as you mature, you will realise on the importance of skincare, which is especially essential in times of stress and busyness at work. Toys are no longer a favourite as a gift but something practical will come in more useful than ever.

For the gift exchange I have already put in these two items, will my angel bless me with my desire gifts? I want I want! :P

"The Cross" drawn by Phi Pringle during one of his services here...love it... :)

"Next forward-looking event: Post-Xmas gathering @ my house this Friday 28th Dec...so see you guys till then! :D"

Ready for Xmas? =P

Just a sneak preview of my Xmas preparation. More pictures to be uploaded once I manage to find my card reader... :)

My precious treasure chests! It feels good when your effort is not put in a waste at last...we finally make it guys! :DD

[Picture above is taken using my handphone.]

These days I have been very busy with the Xmas drama ministry as I have been assigned to the props team, right under Baoli's guidance. It was a time of truly sleepless nights where we get to reach home as early as 2am and the next morning we have to go for work or, for the next few days till Xmas, it will be full day rehearsals everyday. It was indeed the busiest and most tiring time of the year for some of us...to make this Xmas the most enjoyable one for others.

Yet I LOVE my ministry! :D I have even applied 3 days leave specially for this period for DM, even my work is getting into the peak period now and I know my absence somehow makes Elizabeth, my Assistant Manager, not so happy about it. But my priority is serving God...hope she will understand. Plus the work situation is not as urgent that I have to be there to audit yet. That's why I take my risk to take leave now. Thank God she approve my leave for the church events and I can make it to serve for You... :))

It really feels good to serve God no matter how tired I become. Though the whole week I am trying to finish up with my 6 treasure chests, they have cost me my beauty sleeps because now then I realise it is not as easy to wrap up a big carton box too. It takes me about 2 hours each to just finish with the wrapping. The curved cover, cloth inside the box and gemstones are not even done yet. Not to mention that the first time I failed to make a presentable chest and Ross, the Assistant Stage Manager, don't pass them...meaning I will have to redo all of them. :(

But God is good for he has always provided with us angels around whom we can rely on. At least, I can rely on Mei Fang to help me a little with the boxes. She is such a wonderful sister! :D With God, all things are possible. I may feel tired but I feel more excited to serve in DM. It feels great too to know many more people through my ministry. Thank God for this wonderful group of brothers and sisters!

Thank God for I have finally been able to do my Xmas shopping yesterday with Tina. Orchard Road is simply packed with crowds who are all rushing to get their loved ones the best gifts ever. I never feel so much of "rushing" through with a shopping list but I don't have another choice. Yesterday is the only day I had. It feels good though coz all I do is just look for what I want and get it done with. Fast, quick, and less of a hassel. :)

It is set that this year cell group Xmas gathering is going to be at my house again on the 28th Dec. Brothers are organising the gifts exchange and games while sisters will help out with the food preparation. Ye Hui just sms me the person I am going to buy the gift for and guess what...it is the same person I do the exchange with last year! :D Oh well, he will be blessed with 2 gifts then coz I juz bought him a Xmas gift yesterday too...so good! :P

Christina will also be coming to my house. This will be her first time to join our cell group and get to meet everyone in E240. I wish she will also have a great time with us too. :) Oh manz...I can't wait I can't wait!!! :DD

This period of time has always been my most favourite time of the year...and the happiest too. :) I can't wait to up load all these photos to share with you all!

So here, before I have no time to blog again, wishing you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

"Don't be proud of your gifts, but be proud of the one who gives you your gift."

LIME Flea Market @ Scape! (08/12/07)

LIME Flea Market @ Scape (Youth Park)!

This is the very first time I am setting up my own flea market stall...so blessed with such a great chance to do something new in my life...praise the Lord! :D

My main products are simply secondhand ladies clothes and accessories. Most of them are mine while some are collected from Shu Hui and Yingz...so as you can see there are lots to sell.

Thanks to Ye Hui whom came down early in the morning to help me set up the stall. It was not as simple as I thought because you need to plan nicely the way you want to present your products so that people will be attracted to them.

Thank God that my house seemed to be well equipped with materials that I can make use of:

1. Garment rack (use for my ironed working clothes);
2. Accessories stand (magazine rack that I reorganise and turn it upside down);
3. Scrunches stand (toilet paper roll wrapped with aluminium foil)

Be creative! *wink* :P

That's MY stall! :)

Thank you to Yingz sweetie who promise to help me out with this despite she had to make sacrifices for her project...love you dear! :)

I am just glad to maintain the stall with her and to keep me company. Hope we can do this together again and make our plans come true. Thanks to Chorcheng for coming down to give me her support too...really glad to catch up with my travel mate! :))

Yingz & Me! Thank God for having you as my best friend in my life... :)

Even selling at a flea market is not as easy as it seems. There are plannings for me to do, items to select for sale, and preparations to make everything looks great. And even with many things sort out, there are always little surprises that will make things tough for me. Today's rain is one good example of this. I am sure next time I will have a plan and cover ready if such thing happens again.

The selling experience also allows me to see the reality of the purchasing trend of the flea market crowd. Clothes, unlike on ebay or other online shops, they are very hard to sell. My bags and accessories are the popular items for today, making the main portion of my profit. Some of the bags are even the ones I bought from China and HK at a very low price. Today, they are sold at a gross profit margin of 50% and above on individual account! Praise the Lord! :D

I really have to thank God for this great opportunity for me to learn to be an owner of a stall at the flea market. Through this, many valuable lessons for me through this 1-day event. Even as I go home after the flea market, there are already business plans made in my head -- my flea market business!

After discussing it with Yingz, they become so much more solid now. Flea market has low start-up cost and ideal locations for the shoppers crowd. It does not need much time commitment, which is perfect for both of us as a part-time job while we handle our routine work and studies. Customers are mainly price sensitive people and hence our focus will be placed on the pricing and differentiation. So what I make use of now is the blessed connection I had with China and that my parent is always stationed there, meaning easier for me to get the products from China! Hahaha...I suppose my mum would love doing shopping there too since she is so free in China...heehee...lol

I am now looking at Holland Village flea market and also the next round of LIME Flea market application. Yet I still cannot find how and who to contact. If anyone knows anything about the flea market in Singapore, let me know! :)

Well, I guess today it is the best marketing and business lesson learnt for me! I am sourcing out for the flea market booth application contacts now and soon when I go China end of this month, I will look out for the bags again. Sounds good ya? I am so looking forward to it! :D

There's, though, just one question in my head: God, is this what you want me to do?

Coz I really hope to rely on you and not myself. I am not sure if I hear the correct voice. And I know I will not have that confidence to venture out without you...