Thursday, August 21, 2003
hi guys and gals,
I have decided to switch to a new journal url instead, after considering that this place is not comment frenly...
wow...feels so sad, will really miss this website..
anyhow, pls view my new journal at http://www.blurty.com/~lois
C ya guys there! Take care till then....
I have decided to switch to a new journal url instead, after considering that this place is not comment frenly...
wow...feels so sad, will really miss this website..
anyhow, pls view my new journal at http://www.blurty.com/~lois
C ya guys there! Take care till then....
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Yesterday nite our "winner" project grp met for dinner at Fish and Co cos Canice and Melissa were going off for exchange! =) Had a nice time catching up, then Mel suggested we go for a drink at Paulandos (er, I forgot the spelling). But anyway its this place that sells freshly brewed beer from Germany.
Quite sceptical at first, cos in my mind there was this image of a smoky and dark place. Turned out that it was along Milennia Walk..one of the places that i used to walk past when I was doing a temp job after A levels...
When I walked past that place at that time (I was 18!!), these thots went past my mind, that it was for the working adults, who went there to de-stress or to go there to talk business. So it was very strange, it was like me being in the wrong crowd, but Canice happily went ahead. HAha, like she was so used to being there.
Anyways to clarify, its not a pub okie..just some drinking place...very decent one!
So thank God we sat outside. They have chairs and tables outside as well. So just sat there and talk. Felt like I was sitting at any cafe or drinking place, except the drink in front of us was amusingly beer. I din order cos scared I would get drunk. Just took a few sips of my fren's beer which was q nice! tasted q fresh and everything. =)
What is the christian stand of drinking? We all noe that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, so we shd never drink until we are drunk, lose control of our bodies and destroy the temple of God.
Anywayz as I took a glance ard, saw some pple smoking and drinking. The executive looking kinda pple. I think they really need God! But it sure looks intimidating going up to them and saying, excuse me, can I preach the gospel to you? The truth is the older we get, our mindsets are set, we have our own kind of philosophy and are less open to change it. In fact university pple already have their own mindsets too! So really, we must cherish our youths and share with as many pple as we can.
What is it about being an adult? Its strange! Just like the phrase from a child to a teenager, and now from a teenager to an adult. So many new things we see, learn, go thru. Is innocence=childishness? The bible even says we must be wise like serpents and harmless as doves! Indeed!!
We are in the world but not of the world! =) We must always be careful we dun end up as scheming as serpents when God asks us to be wise as serpents. Great difference!
anywayz, have so much to share cos today I also met up with the halfway house. We are helping them to set up a social enterprise. And this guy came up with a new product and is gonna train the pple in the halfway house to make the pdt. So we came to the issue of money..how's the profit gonna be split and everything. Wow, I really dunno!! Have no experience doing this kinda thing, must go ask my boss to make sure all is fair and square. ;p
Okie dokes, just some thots from me abt the working world and being an adult!
Quite sceptical at first, cos in my mind there was this image of a smoky and dark place. Turned out that it was along Milennia Walk..one of the places that i used to walk past when I was doing a temp job after A levels...
When I walked past that place at that time (I was 18!!), these thots went past my mind, that it was for the working adults, who went there to de-stress or to go there to talk business. So it was very strange, it was like me being in the wrong crowd, but Canice happily went ahead. HAha, like she was so used to being there.
Anyways to clarify, its not a pub okie..just some drinking place...very decent one!
So thank God we sat outside. They have chairs and tables outside as well. So just sat there and talk. Felt like I was sitting at any cafe or drinking place, except the drink in front of us was amusingly beer. I din order cos scared I would get drunk. Just took a few sips of my fren's beer which was q nice! tasted q fresh and everything. =)
What is the christian stand of drinking? We all noe that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, so we shd never drink until we are drunk, lose control of our bodies and destroy the temple of God.
Anywayz as I took a glance ard, saw some pple smoking and drinking. The executive looking kinda pple. I think they really need God! But it sure looks intimidating going up to them and saying, excuse me, can I preach the gospel to you? The truth is the older we get, our mindsets are set, we have our own kind of philosophy and are less open to change it. In fact university pple already have their own mindsets too! So really, we must cherish our youths and share with as many pple as we can.
What is it about being an adult? Its strange! Just like the phrase from a child to a teenager, and now from a teenager to an adult. So many new things we see, learn, go thru. Is innocence=childishness? The bible even says we must be wise like serpents and harmless as doves! Indeed!!
We are in the world but not of the world! =) We must always be careful we dun end up as scheming as serpents when God asks us to be wise as serpents. Great difference!
anywayz, have so much to share cos today I also met up with the halfway house. We are helping them to set up a social enterprise. And this guy came up with a new product and is gonna train the pple in the halfway house to make the pdt. So we came to the issue of money..how's the profit gonna be split and everything. Wow, I really dunno!! Have no experience doing this kinda thing, must go ask my boss to make sure all is fair and square. ;p
Okie dokes, just some thots from me abt the working world and being an adult!
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
heyz guys, dunno what happened to the comments button hor?? Does anyone noe? pls tell me if u do okie..the script din change mah? :p
Anyway might be changing to blurty soon. It is an online jounral which is more comments frenly. Yuppie, stay tuned! =)
Anyway might be changing to blurty soon. It is an online jounral which is more comments frenly. Yuppie, stay tuned! =)
Monday, August 11, 2003
Hi guys and gals,
calling all prayer warriors, pls pray for my family.
My sis's facing some problems at work, and I think my parents are very very inconsiderate and insensitive. They blame it all on a lack of time, as she spends a lot of time at church. My dad is afraid that she will fall ill.
Today at dinner time, I told my dad, hey do u think that shouting at her shows her that u are concerned abt her? And he said, then what? I already told her not to spend so much time at church and she still does...
He can't seem to get my point that my sis is already old enough to make her own decisions, and that good parenting is never abt shouting, or being protective abt your children. =(
I feel so super sad, and I feel terrible seeing my sis so upset. Pls pray for her! As if its not enough that she is so stressed at work.
Yah, pls pray for my parents also, that they truly come to have a r/s with God and realise that christianity doesn't just mean asking for blessings or going faithfully to church every weekend.
But really thank God that at least they are saved, cos I noe many others who's parents are not. Though it is so difficult to trust in such circumstances, I noe that the Lord will show Himself true..just as 2 years ago when we never thot that they will get saved, some things just happened in the family that caused them to wanna received Christ. It will happen again because God is faithful...
Gosh, thanks for listening, I feel better after sharing abt it. =)
calling all prayer warriors, pls pray for my family.
My sis's facing some problems at work, and I think my parents are very very inconsiderate and insensitive. They blame it all on a lack of time, as she spends a lot of time at church. My dad is afraid that she will fall ill.
Today at dinner time, I told my dad, hey do u think that shouting at her shows her that u are concerned abt her? And he said, then what? I already told her not to spend so much time at church and she still does...
He can't seem to get my point that my sis is already old enough to make her own decisions, and that good parenting is never abt shouting, or being protective abt your children. =(
I feel so super sad, and I feel terrible seeing my sis so upset. Pls pray for her! As if its not enough that she is so stressed at work.
Yah, pls pray for my parents also, that they truly come to have a r/s with God and realise that christianity doesn't just mean asking for blessings or going faithfully to church every weekend.
But really thank God that at least they are saved, cos I noe many others who's parents are not. Though it is so difficult to trust in such circumstances, I noe that the Lord will show Himself true..just as 2 years ago when we never thot that they will get saved, some things just happened in the family that caused them to wanna received Christ. It will happen again because God is faithful...
Gosh, thanks for listening, I feel better after sharing abt it. =)
Saturday, August 09, 2003
hi! Its been a long long time since I last wrote.Yawn..wat a nice saturday! Happy national day! =)
Past few days had q a lot of activities, went to gym with weihao, now arms still feeling sore. OOpss...speaks a lot of how "trim and fit" I am. Really lack exercise man. But it really feels great after sweating it out. Feel so healthy all of a sudden.
Thursday we went to weihao's house to bake a cake for Vene. Its her B'day today, same as National Day. We really had a fun time, and enjoyed myself very much chatting and talking to them. A lot of unity and team spirit involved, then we also did potato salad together. Felt very glad then, and really thank God for each and everyone who availed themselves.
At nite we had CG! Vene was really touched when she saw the cake we baked. And she said that the bag we gave was very "her". (which was chosen by me...hor hor hor) haha, after 5 years of being under her leadership, I think I really noe her well. =)
Just wanna share at this point that i really give thanks for her, and she has really taught me a lot of things thru out these 5 years..encouraging, stretching, counseling, pushing me, so that I could grow. Really see her as my role model, and wanna be such an inspiration to my mbrs when i become a leader too.
That being said, I recognise that each individual has diff gifts and leads differently. There were ofcos times when i tried to be like her, but realise that it doesn't really work on me! Then God showed me that I was to be like Jesus, not to be like man!
Something that vene shared with me on thurs really struck me, she said, "Xiaojia, u cannot always rely on me, u have to be on your own!"
Which is really very true, that I can't follow wat man does, but my confidence must always come from the Lord.
-----
Thinking a lot these days, feel that I have grown over the few weeks and God is moving me up to a new level. These few days there is a clear indication that God is with me as I pursue the things He called me to do.
In the new sem would have many challenges ahead. With the part time job, tuition, family, school, church and vcf..wow, really like a lot.
wah...all the more I need God! =)
Past few days had q a lot of activities, went to gym with weihao, now arms still feeling sore. OOpss...speaks a lot of how "trim and fit" I am. Really lack exercise man. But it really feels great after sweating it out. Feel so healthy all of a sudden.
Thursday we went to weihao's house to bake a cake for Vene. Its her B'day today, same as National Day. We really had a fun time, and enjoyed myself very much chatting and talking to them. A lot of unity and team spirit involved, then we also did potato salad together. Felt very glad then, and really thank God for each and everyone who availed themselves.
At nite we had CG! Vene was really touched when she saw the cake we baked. And she said that the bag we gave was very "her". (which was chosen by me...hor hor hor) haha, after 5 years of being under her leadership, I think I really noe her well. =)
Just wanna share at this point that i really give thanks for her, and she has really taught me a lot of things thru out these 5 years..encouraging, stretching, counseling, pushing me, so that I could grow. Really see her as my role model, and wanna be such an inspiration to my mbrs when i become a leader too.
That being said, I recognise that each individual has diff gifts and leads differently. There were ofcos times when i tried to be like her, but realise that it doesn't really work on me! Then God showed me that I was to be like Jesus, not to be like man!
Something that vene shared with me on thurs really struck me, she said, "Xiaojia, u cannot always rely on me, u have to be on your own!"
Which is really very true, that I can't follow wat man does, but my confidence must always come from the Lord.
-----
Thinking a lot these days, feel that I have grown over the few weeks and God is moving me up to a new level. These few days there is a clear indication that God is with me as I pursue the things He called me to do.
In the new sem would have many challenges ahead. With the part time job, tuition, family, school, church and vcf..wow, really like a lot.
wah...all the more I need God! =)
Monday, August 04, 2003
hi!
Just met up with my lover..oops I mean my lover girl...oops, I mean Clare!
Dunno when we started calling each other that. Anywayz, we met at good old parkway, pacific coffee, and had a great time of catching up. Then shared abt some stuff in JC and some thots we never did share. =) Really was good.
It warms my heart to remember the good and close frens that i have..being able to still share, and somehow still having the same perspective. As Clare says "Its scary how everyone is growing up"...ooh, may we grow up to be better pple. The world really seems much more complicated now.
Yesterday nite also got a phone call fr a sec sch buddy. So good to hear from her. She's a christian too! Seems that these days we are talking more. Then she told me abt her r/s problem. Seems like I went thru the same thing, so we were like yah yah.....Its the same thing!! But we both know that God will always provide and knows wats best. Great to have frens as well, not just boyfrens, but good frens who will stick thru w u thru thick and thin.
I wrote this in one of my pensive moods:" It doesn't take me to be perfect to be loved, neither does it take him to be perfect for me to love him. And if he doesn't know the real me, he doesn't know me at all."
Used to think the main criteria was for the man to be spiritual. Now the first criteria is still to be spiritual, but ooh, doesn't mean I just like any spiritual man! We must be able to get along and talk, and I must be able to be myself!
Just met up with my lover..oops I mean my lover girl...oops, I mean Clare!
Dunno when we started calling each other that. Anywayz, we met at good old parkway, pacific coffee, and had a great time of catching up. Then shared abt some stuff in JC and some thots we never did share. =) Really was good.
It warms my heart to remember the good and close frens that i have..being able to still share, and somehow still having the same perspective. As Clare says "Its scary how everyone is growing up"...ooh, may we grow up to be better pple. The world really seems much more complicated now.
Yesterday nite also got a phone call fr a sec sch buddy. So good to hear from her. She's a christian too! Seems that these days we are talking more. Then she told me abt her r/s problem. Seems like I went thru the same thing, so we were like yah yah.....Its the same thing!! But we both know that God will always provide and knows wats best. Great to have frens as well, not just boyfrens, but good frens who will stick thru w u thru thick and thin.
I wrote this in one of my pensive moods:" It doesn't take me to be perfect to be loved, neither does it take him to be perfect for me to love him. And if he doesn't know the real me, he doesn't know me at all."
Used to think the main criteria was for the man to be spiritual. Now the first criteria is still to be spiritual, but ooh, doesn't mean I just like any spiritual man! We must be able to get along and talk, and I must be able to be myself!
Saturday, August 02, 2003
When the meek inherit the Kingdom
I had such an encounter with the Lord yesterday night as I was worshipping in church. Pastor Tan's message was on how christians need to have spiritual hunger, and he preached on the prayer of Jabez.
Do u noe that Jabaz in Hebrew means pain? Imagine yourself being known as a pain all the time, and I was especially stuck by Jabez's prayer that requested that he would not cause any pain to anyone else! Wow, such a selfless prayer.
Jabez's prayer went like this: "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that i may not cause pain."(1 Chron 4: 10)
Why enlarge Jabez's territory, and how many of us have also prayed this prayer before? I have...I have asked the Lord to increase my capacity in serving Him, in speaking more eloquently, in being able to reach out to more pple in campus and around me.
But somehow, this prayer, instead of being expressed as a prayer of humility, a prayer that says, Lord, how much I need You, it has turned into some inspection of my own inadequacies that have crippled me with much fear.
Together with the reminder of JC days, I was reading my autograph book a few days ago. Someone wrote that she was impressed with my "undying faith in God", haha, I was shocked and almost fell off my chair. TOday, as I inspect my own life, it seems to fall short of the faith I had in JC. A simple faith that trusted God, and each day I awoke, I was filled with such a sense of expectancy of great things, that He will speak something to me, and use me to be a blessing.
Really thank God for this revelation, that nothing else matters except to please Him. Really pray that ministry will not be a distraction to really loving the Lord with my whole heart and soul.
There is a testimony I wanna share. I made one simple prayer as I was walking along the road on thurs. I said, Oh Lord, that You would show me Your realness. And then I said, i would have faith to expect and believe!
The v same day on thurs, Vene sms to ask me to lead worship this sat! Wow, praise God, I was really v excited, and went home to pray... and asked God to show me a song in season for the CG. The song came up to me as I was praying ,"There is a longing...only You can fill".
On fri service, after Pastor Tan preached such a good message, there was a time of ministry, and then, low and behold! We sang the same song!!
I just felt God encouraging me, that as I had prayed a pray for Him to reveal Himself to me, He really did! And I just kept weeping cos I knew then, that HE had heard every prayer I had made in desperation to Him!
God is always faithful, and these few weeks has been drawing me back to Himself. though man be faithless, He is always faithful and loves us very much. =)
Luv from a very satisfied gal
I had such an encounter with the Lord yesterday night as I was worshipping in church. Pastor Tan's message was on how christians need to have spiritual hunger, and he preached on the prayer of Jabez.
Do u noe that Jabaz in Hebrew means pain? Imagine yourself being known as a pain all the time, and I was especially stuck by Jabez's prayer that requested that he would not cause any pain to anyone else! Wow, such a selfless prayer.
Jabez's prayer went like this: "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that i may not cause pain."(1 Chron 4: 10)
Why enlarge Jabez's territory, and how many of us have also prayed this prayer before? I have...I have asked the Lord to increase my capacity in serving Him, in speaking more eloquently, in being able to reach out to more pple in campus and around me.
But somehow, this prayer, instead of being expressed as a prayer of humility, a prayer that says, Lord, how much I need You, it has turned into some inspection of my own inadequacies that have crippled me with much fear.
Together with the reminder of JC days, I was reading my autograph book a few days ago. Someone wrote that she was impressed with my "undying faith in God", haha, I was shocked and almost fell off my chair. TOday, as I inspect my own life, it seems to fall short of the faith I had in JC. A simple faith that trusted God, and each day I awoke, I was filled with such a sense of expectancy of great things, that He will speak something to me, and use me to be a blessing.
Really thank God for this revelation, that nothing else matters except to please Him. Really pray that ministry will not be a distraction to really loving the Lord with my whole heart and soul.
There is a testimony I wanna share. I made one simple prayer as I was walking along the road on thurs. I said, Oh Lord, that You would show me Your realness. And then I said, i would have faith to expect and believe!
The v same day on thurs, Vene sms to ask me to lead worship this sat! Wow, praise God, I was really v excited, and went home to pray... and asked God to show me a song in season for the CG. The song came up to me as I was praying ,"There is a longing...only You can fill".
On fri service, after Pastor Tan preached such a good message, there was a time of ministry, and then, low and behold! We sang the same song!!
I just felt God encouraging me, that as I had prayed a pray for Him to reveal Himself to me, He really did! And I just kept weeping cos I knew then, that HE had heard every prayer I had made in desperation to Him!
God is always faithful, and these few weeks has been drawing me back to Himself. though man be faithless, He is always faithful and loves us very much. =)
Luv from a very satisfied gal
