Katherine's Bridal Shower @ Fort Canning Lodge

Girls who came after the above picture was taken (please imagine them in...ahahah...not funny) - Carol, Elisa, Becky
(Hui Im, the photographer, is reflected in the mirror...look carefully...)

Absent with apologies - Elizabeth, Jasmine, Cosette

Katherine's getting ROM on Wednesday, 3 Dec 2008! Woohoo!

-Jocelyn-

-posted by the photographer la...

hi all,

be inspired.

if a human dad can do it for his son, how much more God will do for all of you, His children?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flRvsO8m_KI&feature=related

it did well my eyes with tears after watching it as there are currently tensions at home, especially with my dad.

i am not seeking for prayers, but just want to share this clip and reiterate what i have written above:

if a human dad can do it for his son, how much more God will do for all of you, His children?

-touched, chunquan

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord...

LORD, I need STRENGTH!!!

Children's Camp starting tmr. Rhythm and Rhyme Camp starting tmr. Brain Booster Camp starting next week. Dazzle and Delight Camp starting next next week. I'm tired....

Dear JK,

Haven't had time to share with you people what's going on in my life...so u can read a little over here.

Just wanna share how I think God gave me a little push on Sunday...

I was tired...(for those who noticed, I was really really tired--physically, mentally). I was complaining to God and wondering why am I doing so many things and getting myself so tired. I can't complain to anyone because sometimes I think it is me who got myself into all these. If I complain to them, they will just think why would I want to be involved in so many things in the first place. Sigh....
So I kept everything between myself and God. I feel like I'm breaking down that on Saturday morning, I just feel like giving up everything. It was quite scary...because I thot of pulling out from MT. I really wanted to. I need REST.
On Sunday, my complaining mood continues...I told God to give me strength and passion to move on. During worship, I tried to give everything to God. I want to return everything to Him. I just teared before God because I can't do so before men. It was good after the release of emotions. During communion, I lifted up my hand to receive the bread (as usual) and waited...Pastor came, put the bread on my hand, close my hand and said the word....STRENGTH... I can't remember what he said..but I heard the word "STRENGTH" and my heart was encouraged. Never had I heard anything other than "Jesus' blood/bread keeps you in eternal life". I thought that was God revealing to me that my strength is in Him.

Read Psalm 107 yesterday and I realised before God restored His people, they need to cry out to Him "Lord, help!" I thought that's me. I need to cry out to Him, "Lord, help!"

Well, this is my season of life. Pray for all my camps please, esp for children's camp (thu-sun).

cosetteSONG!!

.would.you.use.yours.the.way.she.uses.it.?.

hi all,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKPDSGaTlBM

just find it amazing! isnt it a gimmick?

-chun quan -lcq -jun quan

.update.

hi all,

3 entries in a row! yep, i am that free.

just to inform all who will read this blog that since i am certified 'unfit to fly' for 2 months, i am now 'grounded'.

i have started reporting for work at my training centre. my job is pretty easy, an assistant to sort out thousands of letters of compliments. well, we do receive many, since 'we are a great way to fly!'.

830 to 530. can go off on the dot. cool! hahaha... but i have to leave my home by 7 in order not to be late.

now that i have to squeeze with many commuters on the mrt and bus, i cant help but start to miss my flying days.

hopefully, with God's grace, i am fit to do so.

ha... actually, pretty lost. fly or not? the ball is not in my court to decide.

happy sunday tomorrow!

-chun quan -lcq -jun quan

.just.for.a.saturday.laugh.

hi all,

just saw this on my friend's blog and decided to amuse all of you, especially to those who are mugging away. do take a little break, have a hearty laugh. no offence intended to anyone in the process of reproducing the following:

This is hilarious ...Why Chinese shouldn't have English names?

Confusing Chinese Names

Caller: Hello, can I speak to Annie Wan (anyone)?

Operator: Yes, you can speak to me.

Caller: No, I want to speak to Annie Wan (anyone)!

Operator: You are talking to someone! Who is this?

Caller: I'm Sam Wan (Someone). And I need to talk to Annie Wan (anyone)! It's urgent.

Operator: I know you are someone and you want to talk to anyone! But what's this urgent matter about?

Caller: Well... just tell my sister Annie Wan (anyone) that our brother Noel Wan (no one)has involved in an accident. Noel Wan (no one)got injured and now Noel Wan (no one) is being sent to the hospital. Right now, Avery Wan (everyone) is on his way to the hospital.

Operator: Look if no one was injured and no one was sent to the hospital, then the accident isn't an urgent matter! You may find this hilarious but I don't have time for this!

Caller: You are so rude! Who are you?

Operator: I'm Saw Lee (Sorry).

Caller: Yes! You should be sorry. Now give me your name!!!

More examples below:

Anne Chang => Dirty (Mandarin)
Anne Chin => Keep Quiet (Mandarin)
Faye Chen => Dusty (Mandarin)
Carl Cheng => Buttock (Hokkien)
Monica Cheng => Touching your buttocks (Hokkien)
Lucy Leow => You are dead (Hokkien)
Jane Tan => Frying eggs (Mandarin)
Suzie Leow => Lose till death (Hokkien)
Henry Mah => Hate your mum (Mandarin)
Corrine Tai => Poor fellow (Hokkien)
Paul Chan => Bankrupt (Mandarin)
Nelson Tan => Bird laying eggs (Mandarin)
Leslie Tong => Rubbish Bin (Mandarin)
Carmen Teng => Leg hair long (Hokkien)
Connie Mah => Call your mother (Cantonese)
Danny See => Squeeze you to death (Hokkien)
Rosie Teng => Screws and nails (Hokkien)
Pete Tsai => Nose droppings (Hokkien)
Macy Koh => Never die before (Cantonese)

-chun quan -lcq -jun quan

.know.your.God.know.yourself.know.your.friends.

hi all,

pretty in a bad shape recently, but am i giving up? or have i been too beaten by the tests and trials that i became numb and having this 'hit-me-more,-it-doesnt-matter-at-all' attitude?

all thanks to therry theodore, i was blessed by him with the daily bread. the month of october has been talking about the story that God is trying to tell, for each and everyone of us.

i am still all ears. both ears are cleaned and 'de-waxed' so as to know what is God trying to do.

some told me that we are just human beings, we have limited wisdom. all we need and must do is to trust and obey God.

this old hymn i used to sing during assembly back in my days in sas goes, 'trust and obey, for there is no other way... but to trust and obey'.

i know, i may have been a let-down to many. i am definitely not the best 'lao jiao' (as in, the senior ones in the cell group) to lead and set an example for the younger ones to follow, but just a word of encouragement to all and i quote the verse that i used to believe strongly, 'have faith in God', mark verse 11:22.

simple as it is. have faith. like what jayne shared during sermon on sunday, faith is our 'title deed'.

maybe you have sinned. come'on, who hasnt? we are all sinners. but if you think that you have committed something which you cant even forgive yourself for, do you think God will?

the answer is yes. God will. He loves you. if you cant forgive yourself when God can, you are saying that you are mightier than God. He can forgive, you cant. the truth is, you arent that great. so, forgive yourself and move on!

the above mentioned statement, i have heard it many times and yet, it isnt easy when it is applied to my complicated life.

i read on someone's nick on msn which says, 'live simply the complicated life'.

sometimes, we really do not need to worry unduly. God already has His plan for you. yes, you. you who is reading this now, who has been patient with me for my sudden burst of expressions.

i would like to extend my most sincere gratitude to all who are concerned for my health. there is a reason behind it. i believe. you may not have told me, but i do want to thank you for praying and encouraging me.

a warm hug and a big thank you to you!

and dont find me a naggy old man, for those who are having the privilege to study, please do your utmost best, for only for yourself and your future, but for God too. He will definitely honour what you have done for Him.

study well. stay focused on your books. if in doubt, please clarify! have plentiful of rest and drink a lot of water. last but it is the most important thing to do, is to pray for wisdom, peace and good health during this period of 'battle of the brains'.

jia you!

chun quan-jun quan-lcq

See the intimidated look on Rongfa's face and how Jiawei flew in the air for 2 secs!

Gene looked so cool! No sweat!

the gigantic secret

Share some reading with you guys that's taken from "Our Daily Journey with God", October 25, by Marvin Williams

In Philippines 3:1-11, Paul gave us several wonderful truths about maintaining our joy, especially in the face of hardship. The first nugget of truth is to remind ourselves about the source of joy. It's found in this cheerful command: "Rejoice in the Lord." This joy has its source beyond mere human joy, and therefore it is outside of us. Christian joy is a focused concentration on our relationship to Jesus Christ and our position in Him, and it is maintained through the deliberate remembrance of the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord.

Paul's encouragement to rejoice describes a settled state of mind characterized by peace and calmness. Joy is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of the soverign Lord. Christians are not left to the mercy of fate and the outside forces of chance. Joy allows us to see beyond any particular circumstance and focus on the One who stands above all human events and ultimately has control over them.

Christian joy is not a product of circumstance and events. If we experience failed relationships, financial reversals, trials and afflictions, sickness and death, we can still rejoice. Happiness happens because of our happenings, but joy is a choice we make through the Holy Spirit.

___________________________________________________

Sometimes I feel that there's no joy in our worship (song-singing) to God, no energy at all, no effort put in to really sing to God. It's like we're falling asleep or something. I don't deny that I do fall into this category at times. But I just want to encourage all to think about our attitude when we come to God together. If our daily actions cannot please Him, let us at least please Him when we sing to Him. Let's start from this point, shall we?

Press on in your exams, tribulations, work, persecutions, trials, etc etc...


-Jocelyn-

.again.at.the.crossroad.

dear all,

a year ago, i was challenged to take up something with little faith but somewhat, it seemed God-sent.

barely one year and a month have passed, i am currently at a juncture where i have to make a decision, again.

i asked myself, if it were to be God-sent, why is taking place now?

frankly, i took up the job as an air steward, not because it seems to be glamorous and 'high-flying'. i had no choice at that time.

it seemed the only way out at that point in my life, where things did not seem to work out. uncertainties set in. i simply grabbed whatever that was offered.

no doubt, i have had my fair share of the fun and do still like the job as a steward.

the pay is good. the off-days are pretty near to each other. the opportunities to see the world are free. the hotel rooms i stayed in, are at least 5-stars. what more could anyone ask for, for a job like this?

if you were to ask me whether i miss flying, my answer is yes.

why this statement?

a slipped disc has caused me to be grounded for the next 2 months.

according to the specialist, i am 'unfit to fly' till i get better.

i am alright. life is full of challenges. when you get up there, you will eventually get down. remember the first time you sat on a swing as a child?

it was so exciting to be pushed from behind, so that i would be swinging my way up, but i did get a little jittery as it seemed too high and i felt like i was falling off. just as my heart was about to reach my mouth, the momentum would bring me down and a 'safe landing' took place before another push was delivered, again.

one thing struck me unaware. when i told my slipped disc condition to my trainer, she comforted me and asked if i were very 'religious'. she then continued by saying that 'maybe He is trying to tell you something through this'. how true? i just have to wait and see.

chun quan

Finally! A time to blog!

Finally ... I get to sit down and blog. Want to share a little of what God taught me in my trip. He really cares and loves and He showed me how little love I have for the people out there. In fact I was pretty shocked at the mindset of the people, the culture and the way they lived. Many times is about own benefits and gains... Any Moral values? I really questioned.... Managed to share my testimony to a colleague... see how He works.

Glad to be back! Was really encouraged by the speaker on sun. Challenged to live my life the way he sees it. Real Joy... not authentic happiness. Joy comes from the relationship with our Father, with that, the purpose, and follow by pleasures, not the other way round.

Was listening to this song... from Christ of the nations institute... song title:You are God alone.

The chorus:

You are God alone
Before time began
You were on Your throne
You are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You were on the throne
You are God alone

Simple words...but it speaks of how mighty is God, and who He is.
not someone who is created but the creator...
yet loves you and me and all the difficult people....

Joy~ does not depend on circumstance, but on who He is. Yeah!!! Amen?

Cats can have seizures too

Aiyo I think I shouldn't write on the blog... cos seems like no one would write after my horribly long post. Well I shall keep mine short... I had an exciting nite where my fave cat got seizures (fits) and I was amazed how I shook him, laid hands on him and nearly want to cast out some demons from it. Anyway... it lasted for about 1 min... he's ok now. Phew...

Then my bro's eye got some infection, edema, I am quite worried that the cornea flap which was cut during lasik would not heal now, or maybe rupture... worried.. please pray for him. I remember the cold spoon on eye therapy and doing it now for him hopefully the swelling on the eye would go away. It's scary when something could just take away your eyesight so easily like an eye infection.

That's all... just need some prayers.

Carol

Thanksgivings about many things

Hi Everyone!
I was really blessed at the Meditative Service today. Even the theme of the songs chosen reflected our time at cell on friday. Indeed God wants us to repent of the things which become barriers in our relationship with him, thorns and thistles which crowd God out of our lives and relationships.

Indeed Be Still for the Presence of the Lord and His still small voice can be heard! Next week we are having a time of prayer and I look forward to it. (But I will be late cos have to visit the students at the hostel next friday, sigh... i hate clashes) I hope that we can all come with a heart to pray. Perhaps we should prepare our hearts before we come so that we can seek him together as a community.

There are many things coming up which would be a mere activity or busyness if we simply let things run as it is. Like the my hope project, mission trip, outreaches or exams. We want to bring God into each event, season and see Him glorified.

Just a thanksgiving... initially I thought that the mission trip thing was gonna be cancelled cos church wanted a creative arts performing team. I was disappointed. But after Hannah shared that we can still have a teaching english team from 10 /13 to 21 dec, I was really excited. To go back and encourage the youth, prayer walk in the land as well as equipping them with anything that we could share. I'm sharing this so that we can all pray , give, send, pray and go as the LORD leads.

Yesterday in missions conference the speaker said something that struck deep in my heart... because of our attitudes... many times short term missions are high in profile and low in impact. Yup its true especially if we are there behaving like some tourist or thinking that we are gonna feel go and do so much good. Even before we think of going, let us examine our hearts. Are we there to serve? Do we go just because something is attractive to us... like youth or children's ministry is fun? God can use anyone who is humble and avails himself. But God would never use one who is so available but proud.

Well what then can be low profile but high impact? I think that if we invest time and prayer and effort to build relationships, we can sow even more and harvest more. Think about the mentors and pray for them, they sow for 1-2 years and then see harvest. The Indonesian ministry - weekly they sow, pray for them. And last but not least, the my hope project is not another eating event but a sharing one. We must start praying and preparing ourselves and our loved ones. God will do his part to touch their hearts.

So we will still be having the my hope project, one in jocelyn's home and one in mine. I was really glad when cynthia tan said she's not going to missions but going to focus on my hope project and i think that whether we are in singapore or overseas we can still be blessing others with the gospel.

Ok... think my post is too long but I am really glad to share, to see people grow... to hear people going to get baptised - cynthia and jiawei... we are supporting you !!! let us know when you are going to tell your parents. Also we must congratulate Terry for finishing 3 months of bible school!! Yup let's continue to use the blog to share and glorify God!

Cheers :) Carol

Interesting

Heyy check this out

Visualizing The BibleCredit: Chris Harrison, Carnegie Mellon University, and Christoph Römhild, North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church
The first illuminated bibles were produced in the early Middle Ages by monks who painstakingly detailed illustrations for their sacred verse. Chris Harrison, a doctoral student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Christoph Römhild of the North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hamburg, Germany, present an illustrated Bible with a modern twist. Römhild started with a list of verses in different versions of both the Old and New Testaments that referred to figures or ideas from earlier passages, then combed through both books for additional examples. Using a custom-built computer program, Harrison translated the trove of data into "Visualizing the Bible." Each bar on the graph along the bottom represents a chapter of the Bible; the bar length corresponds to the number of verses in the passage. The rainbowlike arcs represent references from a chapter in one book to a chapter in another. "It almost looks like one monolithic volume," Harrison says.

PS: Sorry couldn't find a larger picture that could be saved and posted.

searching

Searchings.. seekings... askings...

Its been a long 2 years since i got back from down-under.... and i have been down n under since then... ha

been on a quest to find my place and my role in this society .... a place i used to call home... but never did i imagine... that i would be coming back to a changed place, changed ppl, changed perceptions... Aussie has indeed opened my eyes to many things about life and beliefs...

I thought that going to aussie is a temporal "postpone" of my Singapore lifestyle ... but upon my experiences and the understanding of how life is so much more than working for the sake of

money..

sercurity in HDBs, prada bags, fine dinning, grand weddings

the approval of those ard... that everything is "too risky, n u will surely fail" unless its a 9-5 mthly paying job... n.........

the worse of all... the brain wash that the "good life" the "light at the end of tunnel" would be there to embrace you after u give in a good hard work of 40-45 years of your life in whatever jobs .. then u would? have succeeded in life.. u you able able to afford everything you want in life, and take that vacation in swiss or europe.

But from what i had the previlage to see in the hospitals... n in the nursing homes.... this really is a lie..... these 40-45 years are the best years that one will ever have.... and if u work for the security for the golden years... one factor that most didnt account in is sickness.... one cancer / stroke can over nite shake up all the security that one tired so desperately tries to build up over the many Over Time (OT) and dog-eat-dog meetings... i just cannot see the sanity in all these...

i know many will be ready to defend their jobs and gun me down with all these writings... i really aint putting down anyone.. but juz an insight to what GOd is been bringing me thru.. i mean if everyone thinks like me then there will be no doctors for the sick.. no businessman to sell TVs, no farmers to grow fruits... n no pigs to be sucklings..=) guess there is a place where GOd had planned for us... but perhaps mine is really not conventional n might not be in the comforts of Singapore...

however... do think ... think about how not to waste it... waste our lives away.... in Aussie i am fortunate to learn n see , that work is really n should be a small part of our precious life... say one earns 4000 a mth, n work for 50 years... one person life is worth a mere 2.4 million. is that alot..? probably one nice house on top of orchard mrt is worth about 4 million... i really dont think its alot.... juz like King Solomon in his quest to find purpose n meaning in life independent of God ....

Ecc1:2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."

n in Neil Anderson : victory over the darkness, he wrote;

Happiness in worldly defination is equated with good looks, relationships with important ppl, the right job, and a fat bank account. life devoid of these "benfefits" is too often equated with hopelessness...

What about life in God's kingdom? the success = happiness and failure = hopelessness dont exist. We are already a whole person and possess a life of infinite meaning and a purpose because of who we are - a child of God-

the only equation that works in God's kingdom is you plus Christ = wholeness and meaning.

Where is your hope today?

Suffocating.................................... !

no this cant be the place i left aussie for.... no there can be more ..... there must be more......... lord i want more......

Joel

hi folks!

know its been a long time since i blogged.. sorry was alittle busy alittle lazy alittle panyze... hahha busylazypanzy fuzzywazzy! hahha

yupz... am uploading a big video of our cell retreat! good times!! wonder how it taste if we catch a bunch of them n cook it chilli crab style.. hahha maybe we fry them first until crispy crispy them it be real nice aye!

hahah been holding out on the pictures and videos! haha i think we shld complie the videos n pictures that everyone got and put them into a christmas edition JK CD! hahah... n sell it for 10 bucks! haha... all proceedings goes to cell fund for end of year party!~ hahha... (how about that huh? )

I arrow shu hui to complie! hahah n erm.. elisa n liz to market n audit the sales! and.... of course treasurer to collect the money! hah oh! n erm... the young men to come up with the cover design and theme! must be christmas-y!!! =)

jiawei..

Result's out...

Got my results on Monday.. Was my best semester, GPA 3.7 out of 4, 3B+ and 2AD. Praise God! Kinda know I will do well cause I put in a lot of efforts and I know God's grace was with me, I could felt His presence and know that He is working in my life, like what I have mention on my previous entry.

Though I did well this semester, but my grauduating GPA is not that fantastic, it's only 3.3 cause I did not do as well in my previous semesters. Dont think I can enter the local U persuing accountancy cause it is just too competitive, especially in NTU. Will give NUS a shot.. SMU is expensive and it takes longer to graduate too.

With GPA 3.3, I think I can get into local U but have to give up persuing accountancy... Another alternative is to do the degree programme offered by Univeristy of London, degree in accounting and finance in SIM. Since the degree programme is accredited by ICPAS(Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore) as one of the route to attain CPA(Certified Public Accountants) other than ACCA route, it is worth considering but expensive =(

I still got about 7 months to think about it.. shall pray and ask God..

-Serene-

grp breakout at elisa's house=)

heys!

wanted to upload a video of jiawei playing boxing on wii but it refused to upload.. keep giving me error on page.. =/ the video was soo funny.. he managed to defeat the opponent by lying on the floor, boxing the air like crazy and kicking his legs in the air.. yeppps and he won the other guy..maybe u all shld try tt tactic the next time you all play boxing on wii

hahah anyways here's the rest of the photos we took that day=)

we had loads of yummy foood! pizza frm pepperoni, spanish bread and garlic bread made by elisa=) yummmy!!!!

elisa's fren - cum van - joined us too!

liz

.faith.

there must be a purpose for our existence on this Earth.

what was shared by jayne on the 7th of sept, the size of Earth as compared to the rest of the universe, simply made me wonder in awe.

i am still seeking and searching.

are you?

you are not alone.

-nonchalantly me, lcq