hello blog...

Long time no see...

Been more than a month since I last blogged!

August really flew past.

Only remembered my memorable retreat at Montfort Centre

The Youth Olympics

And my record breaking working hours in Week 3...

3 consecutive days of working past 10pm and taking a cab back home

Down with flu in the end but managed to pull through without knocking on the doctor's door.

Had fulfilling and interesting weekends but somehow there's something inside me just screaming for a restful day of pure resting.

Took leave on 20th, a friday. Not rested at all.

Somehow, we urbanites don't even know how to rest anymore?

Many thoughts and couple of revelations...

don't know how to pen down.

But just grateful and thankful for His helping hand and healing grace.

Ministry work seemed to slowly get a bit haywire due to my lack of time dedicated.

4 months of employment and I've gained 1 kg by the 2nd month.

Hope it does not goes up exponentially.

Gaining weight is good for me. But I seriously need to work out a exercise regime.

Discipline!

Dilemmas

Judgement calls

Assumptions

Dissatisfaction

Comparison

Frustration

Resentment

Disappointments

Surprises

Affirmation

Faith.

Beautiful insights from Thomas Smith...or rather...the Bible

Rabbi: "Come follow me."
It simply means, "You can be like me."
We're called to discipleship as God knows we've the potential to be like Christ.
And what a disciple needs is the 3 "F"s,
Free to love
Faith in Christ
bear great Fruits

Learnt in-depth of the background of the city of Corinth and Ephesus.
So beautiful are the correlations/relevance to the readings of Corinthians and Ephesians.
I like the name Corinth. Maybe give that name to my kids...+)

A lot of historical background...
drawing references to Old Testament, and even modern day...
was perpetually sleepy throughout the day.
Kept writing notes to keep myself awake.

oh yes, finally...we're also called to be prophets of today.
Role of prophets are not just to foretell the future,
but they are mainly to give encouragement, build people up and consoles people.
This is what some of the prophetic books does like Malachi, Haggai.


Yesterday was at Angela's house for the Taize gathering.
Her house was jaw-dropping.
I felt like I was in some tropical parts of Europe or smthg.
Br Ghislain from Taize was there and led the sharing with Taize songs.
It was surreal.
Relieving the memories and some of them got emotional.
Coz we're just sucked into our work and back to the swirl of things,
often trying to find our centre and re-focus back.
Trying not to forget what we brought back/learnt from the pilgrimmage of trust.
Angela worked as a lawyer for 3yrs after graduation...
and she got fed up and decided to go travel for 6months with another friend.
There...she stumbled upon Taize in France and slowly...
the Taize community in S'pore starts from then.
God calls and leads in mysterious ways.
Indeed.

Commenced

More than half a year has gone by

And I finally had a proper closure to my Uni education on 9th July 2010

Donned the graduation gown and mortar board

Went up stage for a brief 10seconds

Had hours of photo-taking with families and friends.

After all, truly it's just a ceremony.

What matters most is the heart, memories shared and experienced gained over the 5years.

Saw Richard Ho's comment on Colin's fb wall,

"the journey has just begun".

Now then it dawned on me that our graduation is called "Commencement".

Truly, the journey has just begun.

2 months and going on to 3 months in RSP,

work has been challenging yet exciting and fun.

Practically learning something new every other day.

Stress level can be high when people just keep coming back to me and task me with work.

Should I be heartened that they trust my ability?

But just can't help to lament the neverending work at times.

Being the perfectionist and efficient person,

I often get frustrated for not being able to accomplish tasks in time.

Just thursday I missed my haircut appointment coz I've to clear my work before going on leave on Friday for my graduation. Felt irritated.
I need to be realistic and accept certain facts of life and myself.

Praying and hoping that my work will not gravely affect my upcoming commitment in my LRSS Cell Groups...if not i'll be even more frustrated.

Balance?

Trying to find.

Peace and harmony at heart?

Trying to achieve.

Ministering in church?

Trying to prioritise and discern.

So many things seemed to be deficient for me...

not enough this not enough that...

what is enough?

what is abundant?

questions

searching

I need to exercise regularly.

I need rest.

I need to pray.

wants and needs....another tussle.

random thoughts...

I think S'pore and the world is going to suffer from the iPhone disease.

it's a powerful and useful tool.

Depends on users.

But more often, people choose escapism and enter the world of iPhone...

when they're on train, when they're practically everywhere.

Their soul seemed to be sucked into the phone.

Possessions...

Indeed, possessed by possessing the iPhone.

revelations on a friday public hol...

planned in earnest and happy anticipation for a pitch tent camp over

at Pasir Ris Park. Ended up having to abort that plan.

Tent permit quota maxed out...and then the oil spill.

Oh well...turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Got to go back home and clear some outstanding church work

and misc stuffs...packed a bit of room...

and most importantly, rest and get a proper sleep on my bed.

Alternative Plan.

Thought of exploring this island which i read somewhere in newspaper

that it's accessible and is rustic.

Happily made our way there in the van and the realising that the road doesn't seemed to be opened.

Strange. But then...I think it's accessible. Just that we din really give it a try.

Decided to stay put at the Seletar dam and there's a little park at the reservoir side too.

So just find our way to the little shed.

While doing all this, we're still threatened by the impending rain from opposite the reservoir and from the Johore Straits...stressed stressed...

Laid out our mats and brought out the food.

Then came thunder and lightning and storm clouds approaching nearer.

Decided to move back into the van again...just in case.

Finally, the move was justified.

It rained after quite a while and we also go to read and nap in the van in peace with light cooling breeze.

sure a bliss.

My revelation is simple.

Sometimes we planned so much and in the end things just don't happen the way we want it.

Take it in your stride and who knows, it could be a blessing in disguise.

Then as you try to explore possibilities in life, maybe in relationship/career/things you do,

you walked the journey and realize it's not a wise decision, or simply just wrong

and you retrace your steps or just choose another alternative.

There's disappointment and fear along the way...but sometimes you just have to do it.

Ultimately, He'll bring you to where you are meant to be...and the previous experiences are probably "preparations" or "enrichment".

So yeah...don't think/worry too much. Just do it first. Follow your heart.

Often we say make "wise decision", but I guess wise people often don't take too long to respond.

If take too long to decide, the decision might not be that wise after all.

Haha...wow...i'm so philosophical! ;)

2wks has passed...

and it has been a little overwhelming

exciting and at times stressful

mind-wrecking...

I went in at their peak

work intensity was high

everybody was sucked into their work

the office is cold

and i'm feeling the coldness from people...

though there're glimpse of family-ness.

working past 7pm and reaching home late..

leaving only 2 hours before I sleep at 11pm..

Not sure if this is the kind of life He has called me to...

Perhaps it's just my 2nd week.

Hence having these second thoughts.

Give myself more time...

and I'll probably ease into it.

At least 1 to 2 years...

before evaluating what's the next step.

some of my colleagues actually asked me

why I chose this firm?

And when i said I applied to URA and HDB too,

they exclaimed, "why not go there?!"

Haha...perhaps they felt jaded already.

Stat board has their benefits and perks.

Attractive indeed.

Work may not be as challenging and exciting.

Nevermind, give this a shot first!

I'm curious to find out from my colleagues

who has family and kids.

How did they manage?

Now, i'm just looking forward to long weekends,

weekends with NOTHING on my schedule...

of course don't mind hanging out with syota.

Look forward to taking leave...

even if it's just one day or two.

Look forward to short holidays...

and hopefully can go Korea with family

at end of the year.

Last week of freedom

Monday

Took Express502 to try out the route in the morning rush hour.

Decided to take train in the end.

Hung out at SMU and use my laptop there with wireless@SG.

SMU so deserted in the morning...but nice to have such a place in the city,

lots of benches, food kiosks and power points and free wireless! ;)

Met financial adviser during lunch and started planning for my long term finances...

Tuesday

Cut hair at Bugis then drop by 313@Somerset.

First time visiting it, quite nice actually.

Chill out at Toastbox at the Food Republic top floor.

Spacious, quiet and it's beside the sky garden.

Got to have a view outside.

Went with Joachim for a promotional massage.

I almost died.

The masseur really tried very hard to "fix" my back.

Wednesday

new Mac Ritchie visitor area

Wanted to go Ubin.

But my back was really painful.

And I wanna enjoy a lazy morning too.

So yeah, somehow ended up at Mac Ritchie.

Luckily there's a cafe there.

Spend my afternoon there too to do some writing

and surf internet.

Drop by SMOTA for evening mass

before heading home for dinner

Thursday

Last tuition at tuition centre

Felt a tinge of sadness when I broke the news

to my primary 5 class.

This batch is more sensible and easier to manage.

Though I miss my prev batch with all the nonsense too.

Friday

Spotted people finishing in the canal as I was cycling to

SAFRA Jurong.

Morning went swimming @ SAFRA Jurong.

Read magazine along with a cup of ice lemon tea...

thinking that I'll hardly get to do this again.

Met up with financial adviser again.

Presented me quite a lot of informative stuff.

Then met up with Gregory and had a good talk with him.

Saturday

Hearty breakfast at Conny's place with

freshly baked German bread.

Rushed down to meet up with MM peeps.

Congrats to Annette who's engaged!

Then rushed for high tea with family at

Merchant Court. It was a hurried affair trying to

gobble down as much food within a short time.

Very tired at the end of all this ordeal.

Think in future, I just want to chill out at home

the whole Saturday, with maybe my loved one by my side..

reading a book, watching a movie...exercising. ;)

3rd May here I come! Set my mind to really give it a good shot,

carve out my career and work hard!

While playing and praying hard too!

am I too critical?...

dunno why these few days or these days...i seemed to be correcting pple...being honest to tell them their mistakes...and then trying my best to also not make them feel lousy by affirming them in other ways. What a tussle.