Eye-catchy Public Art @ Raffles City

The coolest public artpiece is in town...right outside Raffles City!The 2 different colour stands for you to view this interesting art piece.Caught me inside the red box? Come and I show you what you will see here......in the red box is a little girl looking sad and pathetic...

...in the blue box is a man crying out in pain...gosh...

Artist's Name:

Montoya, Isaac (born 1963, Spain. Lives and works in Spain.)

Name of the artpiece:

Fantasmas (Phantom), 2008 public art

"In this work by Isaac Montoya, a rainbow coloured portrait of a young woman screams from a large scale photograph. Layered within are two more images that are revealed once one looks through the red and blue filters.

The initial image is one taken from our consumer laden culture, familiar and trendy. The hidden images reference the tragedy present in other places around the world."

My colleague, Andrea, and I just love this cool artpiece! =D

Value = Social & Economic Cost / Emotional & Functional Cost? Or Vice Versa?

With the increase in GST, oil price, rice cost, utilities bills, petrol price, ERP, road taxes, bus fares, MRT fares, . . . . . . how does the inflation affecting you even when your salaries stay the same? How you are going to manage your finances now will be the key to your success!

I don't believe myself to be someone with good financial management skills. Yet, the values of each individual things are priced by ourselves. I have my own pricing system too. What about yours? =)

#1: Food from the Zhu Cha Stall @ 83 Genting Lane

This is the place where I have my lunch for more than a month daily in the beginning of the year ever since I am assigned to work on Cityneon's audit...and now we are back here again to do their June audit review!

What is my value for their food here? Let's see...

1) Being greatest food so far out of the Aljunied industrial area...

2) Being a place I am not entirely sick of even though I ate here for over a month DAILY...

3) Being a stall that sells low prices of Chinese, Western and even Japanese food...

4) Being my best look forward place to go during the long work hours...

...I guess I will put an 8/10 for this place! =)

#2: Fellowship @ Ah Chiew Dessert Stall along Liang Seah Street

Last year we came here more often as our cell group was held at the building just next to the famous food street, Liang Seah Street. Ah Chiew Dessert Stall was then our most favourite supper place right after for a good time of fellowship.

This time we are back here after our service...with almost the similar group of members plus some new friends. Oh well...I miss their MANGO POMELO SAGO!!! *yummy yum yum* =D For a nostalgic person like me...this place is somewhere I will miss too....

1) For a place where I enjoy great fellowship with my church friends, my family in Christ...
2) For a place where I found the dessert from my birthplace in the heart of Singapore...
3) For a place that produces the best MANGO POMELO SAGO ever...

...you represent 9/10 for the feeling inside my heart...#3: Cell group newest member baby McKayla!

This is Isaac and Dom's new born and they brought her over during cell group on Thursday night. She has been very obedient that night as she just lay in Isaac's arm and in her sweet sleep...she is TOTALLY ADORABLE! =DD

This Saturday will be her full month's celebration...gosh how fast it is that she is already a month's old! =) Thank you Isaac and Dom for inviting us to celebrate this joy together! =D

Baby McKayla, you will certainly have our 10/10 welcome to our big family! *muackz*

#4: Hanging out at the pubs with the girls!

Well, just don't be mistaken we don't always pub...hahaha...oh well though for a while we love the Timbre so much so that they went there weekly for close to a month (and I was not there for any sessions at all....sadz.... =X)

Today we are here at Cafe Iguana throwing a small birthday celebration for Flo right after our bible studies! =D We ordered some tasty Mexican food and snacks as well as trying out their signature Mexican beer Red Iguana Lager (their house beer)...not bad at all! =D

Perhaps you will like a mug for yourself? *wink*

Most important thing is still the great fellowship with them. The casual chit-chatting, the giggling at the jokes, the serious talk over some current affair issues (is there??), and the slight preview of the questions asked in SOT, kindly made by Chau according to her past experience and the confirmation from Ellouise after she shared to us about what she did and learnt from SOT this year...

[Note: School of Theology (aka SOT) is the school I will enrol to in 2010...yeah...lol]

Well, if you ask me what I would want to bring with me if I were to die tomorrow *touchwood*, these are certainly one of the moments I want to bring along with me! (10/10!!!) =DD

12 Ways to Healthy Eating

In front of my seat in the office now is a list to "12 WAYS TO HEALTHY EATING". I wonder if it is the guilt in me or if God wants me to see this to remind myself that the way to reach my dream is to have a healthy diet, let me just share with you these 12 interesting and practical ways to eating ya? *wink* =P

12 Ways to Healthy Eating

1. Retain original meals state of food; do not overcook. (Hmm...true true...so sashimi is the best right? =D)
2. Fruits before meals -- to stabilise increase of blood sugar level. (What about bananas?!)
3. Do not overeat; fill up tummy 70% to 80%. (Alright that means no buffets for me...sigh... =S)
4. Main dish eat last. (You mean the food or the plate?)
5. Do not eat with soup or drink, drink before or after. (Hmm I thought this actually helps to keep slim down as you will feel just so bloated and can eat less after that...hehe...*bleh*)
6. 3 meals on time. (Lunch, dinner & supper??)
7. At least 3 hours apart. (With snacks in between... =))
8. Eat slowly, enjoy your food, chew 30 times and use both jaws. (Let's count 1, 2, 3, 4...15, 16, 17, ...29, 30!)
9. Dessert should not be taken after meal. -- Pancreas panic, prolduce insulin. (Oh I take them in anytime of the day...hehe...lol)
10. Breakfast must eat. (Break fast of course must eat!)
11. No to coke, coca cola -- Will make body feel need more sugar. (Juz take Pesi!)
12. Eat the right kinds of food, quality not quantity counts, have harmony and balance with your meal. (My translation --> Eat right no left, do inventory count so make sure both sides have the same number...and no arguing about this!)

Story to chase away the Monday blues

Read this news article from My Paper on Monday and it really touches me...enjoy! :)

US Soldier & Iraqi Dog Bond For Life

(My Paper, 5 May 2008)

[San Diego] They spent months in an Iraqi war zone, cementing a special bond.

Marine Major Brian Dennis and Nubs, the dog, were then separated, as the American soldier sent it over to San Diego in February, a month before his tour of duty ended.

But, even with the month apart, the dog appeared to have a long memory of his Iraqi pal, reported San Diego Union Tribune.

The two-year old dog, named for his two nubby ears, drenched Major Dennis' face with doggie kisses, as the duo were reunited at San Diego's Camp Pendelton in March.

Major Dennis, an F-18 pilot stationed at Miramar Marine Corp Air Station, was among about 150 Marines to return home after seven months in Iraq.

Nubs, a German sheperd/border collie mix, came to San Diego a month earlier after friends, family and strangers raised US$3,500 (S$4,773) for the dog's trip out of the border region between Iraq and Syria.

"It's almost like 'Lassie Come Home' in Iraq," said Major Dennis' mother, Marsha Cargo, who anxiously waited for the unit's arrival in the wee hours of the morning.

Major Dennis met Nubs in Al-Anbar province, where the dog ran wild at an Iraqi border fort. When Nubs was a puppy, an Iraqi sliced off most of his ears in an attempt to make the dog tough and more alert.

Hence, the name Nubs.

Another time, Nubs was stabbed with a screwdriver, and Major Dennis nursed him back to health.

When his unit, the Border Transition Team, moved camp 112km away, Nubs somehow tracked them to their new place two days later.

It was against the rules to keep the dog in camp, and friends jumped in to bring Nubs to San Diego.

"Once he found us there, it seemed like this was supposed to have happened," Major Dennis said.

"After he walked all that distance, it seemed like he was supposed to end up in San Diego."

For the past month, Eric Sjoberg, one of Major Dennis' Marine buddies, has been caring for Nubs along with his other dog, Bogey.

Nubs has also been learning new tricks and how to adjust in a different environment with some help from a dog trainer.

"After running two years out in the desert, he's got a personality on him," Mr Sjoberg said.

Major Dennis said his first outing with Nubs will be a jog on the beach.

"It will consumate the whole journey," he said, "going from the sand of Iraq to the sand of San Diego".

当思念变成了回忆。。。

“当你想念一个人的时候， 你会想做什么？

What do you do when you miss someone?

我想见到他。

I want to see him.

如果见不到呢？

What if you can't?

。。。我会把这思念变成回忆， 渐渐地淡化。。。

...I would turn the thoughts into memories, and let them fade away...”

Bin following you... :P

Faith is to believe what you do not see; and the reward is to see what you believe. ~ St Augustine

This is regarding to what I say in the previous entry that seem to capture quite a lot of attention. And sorry if I have made some of you worry for me. :P Well, I am really just curious to know more about everything sometimes, because it actually leads to me think much more and beyond what I see and also to know what others see. It helps me to understand the world and the people around me, how different each of us can become as well. Certain findings, like the beliefs that Jehovah's Witnesses held, really seem interesting to me, especially when we read off from the same bible yet how different people can come to conclude and think and believe in what they see. So thank God for internet and the many other easily available resources that help to increase our knowledge and not just to accept the things as they were but to understand and appreciate what He has given to us. :)

[Disclaimer: What I wrote here is my own personal views and have no intention to criticize or offend anyone or anything. Everyone differs in their own thinking, beliefs and values. You need not have to agree with what I say.]

After knowing about JW and reading up on info about them and the bible verses as stated by them, I realise that there are verses in there stating such law on blood, especially in Leviticus Chapter 17. Yet what I notice here is mostly back in the Old Testaments where by people still need to make sacrifices since Jesus has not come yet during that time. This is something that need to take notice on because the ethics and beliefs they had back then would differ greatly from that of present times.

What really capture my attention on the JW website is a statement that says this:

"God's people refused to sustain their lives with blood, not because doing that was unhealthy, but because it was unholy, not because blood was polluted, but because it was precious."

And what they believe is that (quoted from the same webpage) "The evidence shows that people who disregard God's law on blood often experience immediate or delayed harm; some even die from the blood. Those who survive have not gained endless life. So blood transfusions do not save lives permanently."

This is pretty rebuttable and I guess that is some reason why JW is present because some people do hold on to such beliefs. Well, for me, I see it in another way.

If what they see blood as being so precious, isn't it meant to be something really good? Then if it is something good, why don't you want to share it out...especially to the people you love? I have to admit that it sounds a little selfish to me. And most important thing is that if our blood is precious, then Jesus' blood is even so much more precious than ours! Yet he has shed his blood for us, to save not one but ALL of us here. If bible is to teach us to become like Jesus, aren't we suppose to focus more on saving lives, even if it requires our blood? What's more important to you then: saving lives or keeping your precious?

Like I say again, different people will hold different values and hence different stand in this. So don't doubt me on this... :P

They have also quoted this: "God and men view things in very different lights. What appears important in our eye is very often of no account in the estimation of infinite wisdom; and what appears trifling to us is often of very great importance with God. It was so from the beginning."—An Enquiry Into the Lawfulness of Eating Blood, Alexander Pirie, 1787. Well, I agree to a certain extend...hahaha...it really sets me thinking. But I guess this is a statement made from men isn't it? So there is a limit as how true it can be, no matter how wise this man is, he is not God...so no one really know how God view things then...hmm... :l

Well, I believe different decisions are made depending on the different situations then. Remember what Jesus said on Sabbath when he healed the man with the shriveled hand (Matt 12:9-13; Mark 3:1-4)? He said (v.4) "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" And remember what Jesus says about clean and unclean (Matt 15:1-20; Mark 7)? From Matt 15:10, "Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean', but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean'." Well, think about these two verses and try to understand...

I can only say that the evidence in such a situation is pretty much judgemental. There could be many other reasons involved. And of course you can always tell me what I believe in and the evidence shown is the same as well. So such things is really depend on ourselves whether we choose to acknowledge it as a truth to us.

But what I am mainly trying to say here is that we should NOT see thing only on one side of it -- see it in an overall view. When you only focus on certain areas of it and ignoring or not opening up to other views about it, we can actually become very objective to what we see. "The veil that covers our eyes shall only be lifted up by the hands that weaved it." Think again about this quote here...

To me, what's more important is that even if we are not the same in our way of worship or of our doctrines, I still don't think we should be against or reject one another. More in a way, we probably should see and learn about the difference inone another. After all, we serve the same God...are we? :) It feels funny when we are like a body, yet opposing from one another. Just imagine your hands and legs start to disagree with one another and starting fighting...manz that will make you look quite ridiculous isn't it? Hahaha...and THAT would be quite an ugly scene to look at too...hahaha juz kidding...lol

And I agree, from Brian's blog, that it is all about us trying to do so from a million different directions to different ends, and that indeed if there is a reconciliation for all the different denominations to come under as one, it would certainly make us a whole lot easier to help the world and to come with a much stronger identity. Instead of thinking about how different we are, we should start thinking about how similar we are, because it is the same God and the same bible we have with us.

Yet as the real world shows, things are just always not that ideal. Hence, this is why we need to continue to learn, to know what we can do, to see for ourselves what is right for us there and not just let others lead us to believe into something that you don't even have a clue or right feeling about it. It is, probably, all about your own decision making.

Well, I guess I have made mine! :)

"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. ~ Albert Einstein"

The Korean Boy Story

The story told by pastor during the service serves as a very great reminder to me as to recall what has God done for me. And how great can His love be when he sacrificed his son Jesus to die for us for our sins. This is what I remember about the story. For those who heard it before, hope you guys will remember it too; and for those who have never heard of it, hope you will feel something after reading it... :)

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During the Korean War in the past, while the country is under the attack by the enemies, the civilians began to flee for their lives. And among them was a missionary couple from US, who got onto their jeep and started to drive out of the place.

As the couple drove past a little bridge, the wife suddenly asked her husband to stop the car.

"Did you hear that? I heard an infant crying here. Let's get out of the car and search for the baby. In such a cold weather, the infant certainly cannot survive here." she said and started to walk out of the car.

"Are you crazy? Every one is fleeing now and the enemies would arrive here any minute. The infant got nothing to do with us so let just go!" the husband replied.

Yet the wife refused to give in and she got out of the car and started to look around for the baby. The husband unwillingly followed her. While over hundreds of people were running for their lives above the bridge, the couple finally found the baby under the bridge, and in the arms of a 30-years old woman. As they got closer to her, they realised that she was already frozen to death.

She was among the refugees who ran for their lives. With 9-months pregnant, she went into labour while she was running and with no one to help her, she was forced to give birth to a baby boy under the bridge. It was a cold winter night then. In order to keep the baby alive, she stripped off all her clothes and wrapped them around the baby. She had sacrificed herself so that he could continue to live. At this sight, the couple was touched and decided to adopt the baby. They put a blanket over the dead woman, buried her at that spot, took the baby back and legally adopted him before they headed back to US.

As years had passed, the boy grew into a fine young man. While he was thankful to his foster parents for raising him up, he decided to ask them the question that had bothered him for a very long time.

"Mum, Dad, I am grateful for the both of you to raise me up into a man now. Yet you are both white caucasians and I am a Chinese from the East, how do you two found me?"

When the couple heard his question, they replied "Son, we have been waiting for you to ask us this question over all these years. You see as we fled from the Korean War back then, we found you under a bridge in your mother's arms. She had sacrificed herself while trying to protect you and keep you alive."

All of a sudden, the man started to cry after hearing how his mother kept him alive.

"Please bring me to the place where you had found me."

So during that year's winter, the missionary couple flew back to Korean with their adopted son to the place where they found him. The little bridge, however, had turned into a overhead highway bridge now.

"This is the spot where we found you and your mother." The old man said as they come under the bridge.

Right there at that moment, the young man begin to stripe off all his clothes and placed them neatly on the ground. He even stripped off his undergarments there, leaving himself shivering naked in that cold weather. He knelt down and started crying again.

"Mother, I can finally feel how cold it is for you back then. I am really thankful for how great your love is for me. If it wasn't for you, I would not be here. You have died for me so that I could live."

Happy Birthday, Terence! :)

Happy to be at the final Easter service with Daph! :DCelebrating Terence's birthday @ NYDC Suntec

Left to right: Bavis, Yanning, and Me! :))LOVE the mudpies there! :P Oh and my yummy baked rice too! :DHere's the birthday boy...TERENCE! :DDOur birthday presents for him -- a T-shirt that is NOT his normal style wor...hahaha...hope he likes it and wear it often manz...lolGuess who's back? It's JIAN HU!!! :D
He is staying in Singapore till 19 Apr, for about 2 weeks. Thank God he is here coz I am still wondering how to get his UK number...hahaha...lol Well bro, see ya over there in London! *bleam* :D

Thank God for this wonderful Easter! :)

Initially, I don't intend to go out today as my exam is approaching. But for the sake of my friend coming over for the service, I took a cab from my hall all the way down to Expo...well, that really burnt my wallet manz...haha...lol

But thank God it is all worth it because God has certainly worked in the heart of my friend today. :) You don't know how great I feel to have you with me at the service, being able to share lots to each other, and joining my cell group friends as well...hope to cya more there! *hugz* :D

Coz I talked to my friend, I realised that there are many things hesitating her to get close to God. At first I really thought she is giving me excuses again because of many things that happen in the past few monts that every time I asked her to come, somehow there will be some events that in the end she never shows up. But soon I realised that I must have mistaken her in the past that I thought her attitude towards God is wrong as I feel she is not really serious about going back to Him by the way she acts even though she told me she wants to do so. Thank God I was persistent in asking her to come, again and again, despite the fact that I have to admit that I was totally disappointed and kinda feeling of giving up on asking anymore, for I do fear of those disappointments I will get when she go back on her words again. I feel so helpless then.

I shared with her soon after the service, and getting to know that there are many things happened in her life for the past few months that have caused her to have difficulty in making her decision to come back to God. And some of them I have been through too and I understand those awful feelings. One of her situations is even exactly the same as I had when I backslided. It actually took me lots to share with her about it because it was a past that I didn't like to recall. It still hurts and I know it is a big regret that I have. Yet I know only if I share to her my story, she will then know well enough the consequence of it. Well, if you are reading it, you know pretty much the result of it as seen in my life that I really hope you will never follow my foot steps...just to let you know...

LikeI said before, there are just many things that are about US instead of about God. And that shows how much we are wiling to give to God. There is no pressure for us not to give to God yet when we are not ready. But the questions is thrown back on us: What have we done for God? if we think that we should not go back to God just because we are not ready, that will be something we shouldn't do. Taking your relationship with your friends for examples, imagine that I never catch up for a few years, do I still know you as well as I do before? I don't think so! And even if you two are very close friends will still feel a little strage at the beginning of your conversation.

Today service is pretty much the same like that of yesterday's. The Korean boy story and the production move my heart once again. Like I said before, I realise what is more important for us Christians to look at is NOT what God has done for us, but simply what WE have done for God. We will never stop to give praise to God for the things He has done for us. And like I told Yanning, it would probably be a list that never ends. Yet, how would you feel when you look at the list of things that you have done for God? Juz to be clear, I am NOT asking you to compare your list to that from God's list. It can NEVER be compared. But is your list of things you do for God long or short? Are YOU satisfied with it? Well, for me I am definitely not. All I want is to make that list just longer than now, and longer again, and just longer, and longer... I know I have many obligations for me, and so does everyone else. We can never compare ourselves with others because all of us are just different with different obligations to fulfill. Think about it...

We went to celebrate Terence's birthday at NYDC after the service and some of them went to KTV (as Bavis persisted it...hahaha...lol) and play cards and pool at Chris' country club, The Legend. Well, as I need to go back to study, I can't join them and went for a short walk with Yanning before heading back hall. There goes my easter day...hahaha...lol

Dream of a Journalist

Guess what I found from Googles? My blog is ranked 80 on someone's list of the ranking of the websites! Hahaha...how interesting manz...lol But then, it shows there with only one visitor...hahaha...oh wells... :P You can check this out at: http://ph03.hotrank.com.tw/reg/rp?myid=h03-60621&hkey=&mode=year&dstr=2007&type=4&subt=2

Anyway, juz for those who don't know yet, I have started out a food blog called "The Food Law" at http://thefoodlaw.blogspot.com or you can get the link on my side bar. :) It will be a blog that talks about food only, allowing me to share with you all the nice cuisines I have tasted, and to thank God and all the chefs who make our lives wonderful with all these great food around. :D

Actually, this is also part of my passion on journalism that I used to have since secondary. Back in DHS, I had joined the SPH Friday Weekly Young Journalist Club for a year plus. We are mainly divided into 4 groups and I was posted to 天鹰组。With my group, we would write a 2-pages to 4-pages news article for Friday Weekly once in while. It is really fun and we learn alot on how to write a good newsarticle, finding your focus for your topic, how to do the newspaper layout, as well as the newspaper publication process. It is absolutely NOT like any other journalism club in schools because what we write will be published on the newspapers that will be sold to students and school all over in Singapore. And since it is under Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), my participation in it gives me great credits on my CCA records and I really consider being a journalist back then.

Because being a journalist, you will be exposed to many insights in which most of us will not be able to see on our TV, newspaper and other media channels. Seriously, every article or stories have been checked for and reviewed by the SPH before they are released to the public. BUT I am NOT saying they are not real here. Somehow, you will feel more for those stories or see a bigger picture of it if you are the one who is writing it.

Journalists will also be able to access to places where most of the public are not allowed to go, attend events that are only for selected people, come to meet the powerful people and the riches, and to get hold of the latest news before everyone else and you will always be updated with what is happening around you. These have all been motivations for me to become a journalists.

Yet there is certainly nothing known as "free lunches" in the present society. And being a journalist will also come across tough times as well. Like if there is any emergent news, you will have to be there at the scene even if it is right in the middle of the night. You will lose your sleep and dressed up immediately just to rush down to do your job. Sometimes you also have to agree that not everyone is friendly. If you interviewed someone who is hostile and refuse to give much information to you, you will really have a hard time there and you probably need to refrain yourself from beating up those people who are trying their best to make your life miserable. Hahaha...lol

Being a journalist, you MUST also be careful of using your words, in case you may offense anyone and be sued. So in general, it is a tough but meaningful job. You have the power to help the others by exposing what is lacking or what has been ignored in the current society.

Just to recap, I also used to send in my chinese stories to the newspaper as well, hoping to be selected to be published in which I would be able to earn some good extra pocket money then. Hahaha...well those are my glamorous days when I was among the top percent in Chinese back in DHS...lol

Well back to the topic, this time is slightly different. I AM writing some food journal...but in English! Hahaha...so pls don't pinpoint me over my numerous grammatical mistakes and misuse of vocabularies...hahaha...lol

So whenever you are bored or craving for food, feel free to give my new blog a visit ya? *wink* Hahaha...hope you guys will enjoy reading it. And you are all welcome to give me feedbacks or recommendations if you have any nice dining places or cooking tips in mind... :))

"Juz remember the food reviews are all based upon my personal preferences. So I have no intention to criticise or judge any of the stalls or food featured. Your opinions are independent from mine as we may have different taste buds there. Hahaha...but I really appreciate any feedbacks so I can learn and make the improvements there. So enjoy! :DD"

River Theory

Had my quiz yesterday...and it's a big killer! AHHHHHH!!! :S It is really putting me like ants on the hot edges. Well, work harder next time ba...ha... :X

But I still hold the words my dad told me when I was young -- 先苦后甜。Eventually, I soon realise that the meaning of these words behind can be illustrated by the course of the river that I learnt back in DHS in physical geography. There are also many famous quotes that relate to the rivers like "True love is never a smooth course" and "逆水行舟，不进则退“。Let me illustrate on it a little further...

In general, the river starts to flow from the mountain (highland area) to the plains (lowland area) because of the natural gravitational force that makes it flows downwards. The speed of the river is also the highest from its start to its end. Because of its high velocity, it is able to carry boulders, big rocks and pebbles down the stream.

As the river flows downwards, part of the forces it carries is offset by the frictional force along the river banks and the river bed. It can no longer carry the boulders and hence these big rocks start to settle along the river banks on the upstream, followed by the other big rocks and pebbles, and eventually the particles and sendiments on the downstream and the plains.

So what's the point of taking a deeper look at this nature course?

Well, for me, I see it as a course of our learning process, especially for students who are in the midst of their exam preparations.

For the start, when we picked up a new skill or learning a new theory, we would very often come across many questions and problems that can be as big as those boulders. This is the period of time where we have the most number of questions in our minds as we are still unfamiliar with it. This is the same as the river for it carries the most number of particles with it here.

Yet the learning process is usually fast for most of us because what we learn are the basics. Very soon, our problems are also settled one by one. This is illustrated by the river speed in which it is the highest at the beginning, and also the boulders and big rocks which start to settle along the river banks on the upstream of the course. The significance of the big rocks settling down first is that we usually manage to clear the major questions we have for the new knowledge such as "What is the use of it?'.

However, the start of our preparation for exam is always tough and full of inertia, like the numerous inevitable forces acting on the river as it goes down the stream. We are often tempted to give up half way because of all these forces and all the temptations that appear to make our life much a better place to live in.

Yet if you manage to pass through them, you will eventually find peace and happiness soon after. Have you notice how calm is the river flow in plains? And what left behind in the downstream of the river are only the particles and sendiments that suspense in the water body, difficult to be noticed. If only you persist through, even though there are still questions and problems, but they become so much smaller now that they are hardly noticeable.

Do you notice the change in the flow of the river and how it can relate to our learning process now?

Juz one thing to take note is that true enough, the river course is also changing from straight to more bends in the plains. Life is just like that too. The beginnig of our learning process is simple and obvious as to where it will go next. Yet when we finish one phase of it, we will soon realise that there are many more phases waiting for us to pass through them before we can finally proclaim our success. Thus, the process MAY look more complicated than before, just like the bends in the river course.

Yet has the river stop flowing? No! I recall a quote that I have read before: "Never take the mere bend of the road as the end." Well, that says it: Never take the mere bend of the RIVER as the end! We should never discourage whenever we come across the little "bends" in our lives, just like the river will ignore the bends in its course and continue to flow, and flow, and flow, and flow......

Anyway, HAPPY EASTER DAY (in advance) to everyone!!! :D We shall never forget the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and thus we should also set ourselves as good examples for we serve a great God here...yeah...lol

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." ~ Hebrews 10:35-36

Growing old with you...

Watching Teri & Ian, being eliminated from the Amazing Race is kinda saddening to me. I like this old couple lots ever since they ran on the previous race. And what impresses me most is their relationship and love for each other.

Very often you get to see the pairs in the Amazing Race will come across conflicts when things go wrong for them. Teri & Ian is of no exception. But what I like about them is that at the end of the race, whether they win or not, they will still appreciate the presence of the other person. Those words is really sentimental, touching and inspiring.

Quoted from this episode after they were eliminated, this is what they commented:

"We're going home to our families, our children, to continue a great life. Teri's the love of my life. She's always been there for me. I wouldn't want to be in life without her." Ian remarked.

To this wonderful sentiment, Teri simply added. "Ian loves me like no one else can."

Time may not be the best unit of measurement for love and relationship. But time certainly plays a great role in the understanding of one another, and the appreciation you have for the other person to be in your life.

At least, this is true for Teri & Ian.

Well, isn't it just wonderful to have someone travelling around the world with you, overcoming obstacles together, and at the end of the day you can share all your joys and your sorrows together, laughing your heads off and having a comfy shoulder to lean on? And the best of it is to be able to grow old together with that person, looking at each other's wrinkled face and spending the rest of your days reminiscing about the things you do together in the past?

Well done guys! *wink* :)

"More on Amazing Race: All-Stars can be found here: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race11/"

Guys

"Guys believe,
when they have established their career,
when they dress up and become better looking,
when they become more talented,
they are able to make more women fall for them.

Yet they don't know,
what these women fall for,
is their money,
their looks,
and their ability to please them.

And when they realise the truth,
they will also realise,
they have already lost,
the one who truly love them for who they are."

Taken from my friend's blog...
Be strong...

Rainbow Theory

Rainbow is not formed in the sunlight nor in the rain. But it will only be formed in the sunlight that FOLLOWS after the rain.

Life is just like our weather too. There will never be a time when our weather is smooth always. Once in a while there are rain, storms, thunder, and even hurricanes in our lives. But if we hold on till the end, be strong to overcome all these bad weathers in our lives, we will still see the sun at the end of the day. And even much more wonderful is that we will see rainbows, which are miracles in our lives.

I always hang on to this theory that I have created for myself whenever I feel down. It may not be an easy thing to get pass what bothers you. But with God, I believe all things are possible through Him who gives us this strength.

Take care & God bless you my friend. *hugz* :)

"Always remember that you are never alone because God has created you and I who are called 'friends'. :)"

Believe in Love

As you walk along the road, have you ever notice the pebbles and the rocks on the path? The smaller they are, the easier it is for you to kick them away. But yet, to the big boulders, how are you going to remove them?

I realise that, very often, our walk with God is never a smooth journey. There are many obstacles along the way to test our faith. Anything can come into our way: our work, our studies, our health, our friends, and the most crucial of all -- our family members.

I remember I was told that God will test our faith from time to time. He wants us to say it ourselves where He is in our hearts, even though He already know what is going to be the result of the test. And to test our faith, He will choose to use what is most precious to us. To most of us, our family members are very often used.

Family members are not given to us by choice but by destiny. I mean, how many of us Christians have come across the objections from our family members over our beliefs? How many of our parents have criticized us over what we believe in? I can understand the hurt and pain that many of us feel. Because these are the ones we love speaking to us, and to whom we expected to speak words of kindness instead.

The conversation with my friend last night made me realise the unnoticeable changes that already happened in my family. Even though my mum and I are always in miscommunications last time, God has helped me and her to learn to cope with each other's different characteristics. I thank God that we have resolved those communication conflicts now.

Especially when we have conflicts with our family, I believe it is more important we need to hold on to our faith. It is tough but it will make us strong. Prayer changes things. There is nothing more powerful than prayer because we are talking to God, the God who knows, understands and loves us more than anyone else.

If you are reading this my friend, I just wanna tell you that I am proud of you as being such a strong person. May you continue to rely on Him for guidance and strength. :)

"And we know and believe the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him. ~ 1 John 4:16"

Something About Christmas

Come across another piece of good poem online. Juz enjoy reading poems in my spare time as some of them can give you the peace of your mind.

Hope you guys enjoy it and remember always the true meaning for Xmas. May you all feel the warmth and happiness this special season can bring too.

Merry Christmas to everyone. :)

"Something About Christmas" by Joseph T. Renaldi

There is something about Christmas,
In Santa Claus and twinkling trees,
In the joy and laughter of every child,
People kneeling in prayer on arthritic knees.

There is something about Christmas,
Though many wishes and dreams may fail.
It is something we have learned to accept
Through each Yuletide trail.

There is something about Christmas,
Something that overwhelms the heart,
And it is displayed in every household
Of thoughtful and gentle people miles apart.

There is something about Christmas,
A magnificent day for old and young,
For it seems that people are more pleasant
When the traditional carols are sung.

There is something about Christmas,
A day of grace and visions of peace
And nothing on earth can destroy it.
Joy and peace on earth will never cease.

There is something about Christmas
When church bells ring and candles glow,
Signaling that Christ was born in a manger
In the holy city of Bethlehem - years ago.

"More poems can be found here: PoemHunter.com http://www.poemhunter.com/ ... Enjoy! :P"

Value vs Desire

I was doing some thinking these few days over whether to take up my dad's offer to get a ticket to Hong Kong to reunite with my family there. It is a really wonderful blessing from my parents but yet I hesitated. My main concern was over the money issue as I would not strain on my parents' money even though I know they can still afford it. Thank God my homeland is not anywhere too far away from Singapore either. :)

I was thinking about my expenditure for next year as I will be travelling to other countries as well and it will cost me a bomb too. I was thinking that since I am going back in Feb, which is not too far away, there is no point in going back now. Nevertheless, in the end, I still bought my ticket.

My reason being is simple: I miss my parents a lot. There might not be another chance for me later on when I enter workforce as year-end period is the peak period for all accountants and auditors. And come to think about it, I have not spent a Xmas together with all my family present, especially with daddy, for more than 5 years now ever since he was posted to China. Xmas buffet was a tradition for my family every year to get together to celebrate and enjoy the company with one another.

Right now, even though I have an heartache for the hole in my pocket, I still feel great and look forward to see my parents back there. But true this money can be earned back and I will prove that once I started working. Well, by then I will be happy enough as I can finally share my dad's financial burden for the family too. Hope daddy no need to be so tired and stress everytime I saw him then. :)

Sometimes I wonder if I have value the money too much over what I desire to have. But then, I can't simply ignore it too right since that is the tool for our survival in this society? Ha. I think I am pretty money-minded sometimes. Maybe that's why God has planned the career path for me to be an accountant ba...ahaha...lol

True enough, we always desire for things that we can't or don't have. People who are not rich will wish for more money blessings. People who are not smart will wish for knowledge and wisdom. For me, I wish for more time with my family because I don't have the luxury to see them every day. If there is a chance to turn back time, I really wish that my dad didn't agree to be posted to China and just get a stable job in Singapore so I can see him everyday like I was young. But then, I guess maybe I will wish for other things by now if that is the case. I guess we will never stop wishing for other things to happen in our life when we don't have them right now.

But somehow I keep thinking again: If we keep wishing or wanting for things we don't or can't have in our life, with the limited time that we have in our lives, will there be enough time for us to treasure what we HAVE right now? When I thought of this, I agree with my dad from his point of view. He doesn't mind to pay for the extra cost for my tickets during this peak season because he really wanted to see me there with them for Xmas. He told me that since he can still afford it now, I should just go ahead and get a ticket. Until the time when we really in a tight financial situation that we can barely afford that ticket, by then I should consider about the cost.

Using back what i learnt from my lesson last time:

Value= Emotional benefits / Functional benefits (dunno if I remember correctly :P)

What my family still have is financial blessing from time to time. What my family lack of is the quality time we can spend together. I desire for the latter. And what I have right now is the free time and money. Hence, I choose to use it to reunite with my parents. I believe nothing is better than to give my parents the Xmas gifts that I made for them personally, face to face, and my reward will be to see their happy/puzzle/funny expressions on their face when they received the gifts from me. :)

I wanna thank God for all these blessings He gave my family. But as I thought about Him, there is a little tinge of guilt for I never treasure Him as much last time. Like I said earlier, we always desire for things that we can't or don't have, and we may neglect and forget to treasure what we have right now.

God has given us love, hope, freedom, happiness, prosperity and much more. He has given us a shelter to foster when we are in trouble. He always gives us in abundance. Yet how many of us have treasure what we have? We desire for things out of God gives, and we fail to see the consequences that some of these things that can bring to us. It is like we are very often desire the things out of the Eden that God has created for us. We fall for temptations that we shouldn't.

Shall we follow our hearts or God's heart? I bet this is a question that we are very often faced. I believe only when we know how to treasure what we have now, treasure God's words for us, it is then we will have everything that we really desire.

Thank God for the financial blessing over my family and me.
Thank God for the cheaper ticket that I get to find online that save me about S$100.
Thank God for the Xmas dinner that I finally get to enjoy with my parents for such a long time.
Thank God I can hand the gifts to my parents personally.
Thank God for your love for me. :)

"Never hesitate to show your love to the people you treasure for you never know what will happen tomorrow. Never live your life with regrets. Though my parents will never get to read this, I really love you both lots, mummy and daddy. I love you lots too, Jesus. :)"

Freedom or not?!

As I thought about my runaway hammy today, I thought about how it is probably thinking of now, "Where should I go?", "Where is my hiding place?". I thought of how it might be feeling now -- Would it feel scared? Would it feel lonely? Would it feel lost?

Then without knowing why, I turn all these questions to myself. I wonder if these are actually questions that very often we will keep asking ourselves: Where should I go next, to continue my studies or to work? Which company should I go to? Where is my home? Who can I turn to?

Maybe in our lives, we are very often sought after freedom for our own, a freedom where there is no committment to anything we do. A freedom where no one will be there to control us, to interfere in all the things that we do. But ask yourself: Is such a 'freedom' that fantastic? What kind of freedom you really want?

There are certain degree of freedom given to us in our different stages of our lives. When we are young, our freedom is restricted by our parents as they take charge to guide us to the correct ways of doing things.

When we grew older, we gain more freedom when we are legally allowed to do a few more things, enter places where we cannot enter last time, drink alcohol and watch different categories of movies.

When we reach our adult stage, we no longer need to ask our parents to sign consent forms and take charge of most administrative stuffs with our own signatures. We gain control over our bank accounts, our expenditures, our daily activities.

Eventually when we started working, we gain the overall control in our lives, and even in our children's lives and our parents' lives as we are responsible to take care of them.

All these are the freedom given to us in the different stages of our lives. Whether we like it or not, these freedom comes inevitably to us and we need to accept them as they were. But then, won't you find it hard to cope with all these things given to you from time to time? Are you sure that given all these freedom, the choices you make are right for you and the people around you?

The world changes us on the outside but not the inside. If there is no guidance, no one to lead us, there are certain things in this world that we may not be able to identify for ourselves if they come with good or bad intentions.

True that we can always learn from mistakes, that "once bitten twice shy". And staying innocent is not practical in this simple yet complicated world these days. But innocence is virtue tested. And remember, curiosity kills the cat.

Freedom is defined as having the power to do as one pleases. True freedom is one that should make one happy and righteous in the things he or she does. What gives us the power to know good and bad is what we have inside us. You can't expect a hungry person to view food as something too full to take. Same as, you can't see an uneducated person to write out an award-winnging poem. So if someone who is 'dirty' inside them, you won't expect 'clean' things to be done by them.

If we want true freedom, one that gives us true happiness, we need to change what is inside us. For me, I know I don't know how to answer many questions in my life but I know someone who did. For the trust that I have for this friend of mine, I know I am never alone to carry all these burdens and endless questionaires by myself. My friend is Jesus.

For God knows the way and the keys to our hearts. When we change for the better inside us, we are able to identify what is truly good and bad in our lives. By then, we will truly know what to do on our own and to find the true freedom and happiness for ourselves.

We should not think of controlling our own lives as true freedom. Because, a sheep without its sheperd, it is still a lost sheep with freedom that it would not know how to make the full use out of it.

"Think about this: What can truly make you happy and free that last for a very long time?"

Punggol Jetty -- Singapore's Slaughter Beach

Punggol beach......& Punggol jetty. :)I guess those plants should belong to the Malaysian side.Finally, this is the answer to the mysterious fires that I often see from my HDB corridor.One side of the beach is simply packed with lots of boulders... ...and even more boulders when you walk further away from the jetty. Notice the boulders behind me are stacked up in layers?

I wonder who did this and when this is created as it certainly doesn't look natural to me...*shrug* This is the other side of the beach...completely without boulders except small rocks.

Compare to this side full of boulders...strange isn't it???

Punggol Jetty...contd

Staircase to board the boats.Everything is beautiful here at the jetty...EXCEPT that you will not want to swim in such contaminated water...yucks! :SSpotted a kelong far off the beach...reminds me of the Kukup trip...*bleam*I love the sunset and the quietness of this beach...*peace* :)

This is the memorial plague in memory of the Chinese civilians who were massacred during the Japanese Occupation in 1942. The plague was scripted into 4 languages -- English, Chinese, Malay and Hindu.
There are articles that had shown skeletons and parts of the Chinese civilians killed here can still be found on the beach...you can imagine how many people were slaughtered here...*shudder*

Overwhelm with strange feelings on the bus journey back home...glad that I have come here today. :)

I just love beaches, and feeling of the sea breeze blowing at your face. It feels peaceful and soothing. It takes your mind off your tiredness, your stress and everything else that this simple yet complicated world can give.

I love nature because of their originality. Where many things have changed over the decades -- places, technologies, human beings -- the nature remains its natural beauty and its innocence.

It reminds us to remember our source...and to appreciate and give thanks to God who give us all these things. Because everything is created by God and belongs to Him. This is what the Chinese says: “饮水思源”.

I think I will be back some day. :)

"More information about Punggol Beach can be found here: http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/war/headline/slaugther.html"