Nice commentary from Mountain Wings..:)

So Connected Yet So...

=======================

I was watching a commercial for digital TV when it hit me.

We are so connected.

300 channels of television

Remember when there were only ABC, NBC, and CBS? Internet that connects to the world, now at broadband speed,DSL and Cable move 50 times faster than modems two years ago.

Cell phones that keep you in touch no matter where you are,the minutes are cheaper and free at many times.

GPS tells you where you are anywhere on the face of the earth.

Two-way pagers that don't just allow you to be paged, but let you send a message back.

E-mail

Instant chat

Instant messaging

Text messaging

Voicemail

Videomail

Shirt pocket PDA's (Palm Pilots and Pocket PC's)

that are more powerful than computers of just five years ago.

We are the most connected generation ever.

What is the name of the neighbors on either side and across the street from you?

When did you last sit down and talk with them?

The human mind can only think one thought at a time.

We can multiplex thoughts and jump from one to another rather rapidly, but we can only think one thing at a time.

Maybe we can only handle just so many connections, just so many channels.

When we add one channel, we have to disconnect another.

There is just so much bandwidth in the mind and spirit.

Maybe we need to push the doorbell button next door instead of the power button because the GPS doesn't really tell us where we are.

Maybe, just maybe, it's time to change the channel.

~A MountainWings Original~

10 dollars from God!

7th December 2005 (Wednesday)

Already in Christmas mood...have been thinking of stopping work two weeks ago...

haha...applied for many jobs already no response yet, then finally plucked up the courage to apply for teaching in NIE...wanna teach kids, love kids and music...

Is it a call from You God? Can't really see my future , but i do forsee myself to do my best and see young kids touched by music..filled up the online application form with much trembling but a mixture of excitement also...

I went to meet Lee today for a short lunch...so cute both of us not enough money! i mean i needed to shop for hair accessories for my baby sis for her prom..doing her hair again...and Lee din bring money out..so we just shopped at the Aries in Raffles Place MRT.

Lee is very sweet and we had fun walking in the Raffles Exchange at the MRT station, trying all the accessories and shops..

Really running out of money lei, God, how?

I was praying this prayer to God when i was walking back to my office from Bugis MRT...

"Lord, i need to meet Dennis fren, Yimin to Mu4 Chuan2 lei tonight, if i pay so and so much, how am i going to last the month?"

At one point i dun want to miss out the chance of meeting Yimin and getting to know her better, but on the other hand i have very little money left, the rest are savings and for breakthrough giving! can't touch those...:P "Lord Jesus, do give me a job soon and let me provide for my family more! Let not my parents worry for me so much.."

Then would you believe it? The moment i finished that prayer, i found a $10 dollar note on the floor! It's near the MRT gate where you tap your farecard!! in a swift moment, bend down, plop the note in my lunch bag, tap card, go out of gentry!

Wahahah thank YOU LORD!

Another indication of how sweet and how timely God is! i was really touched! i was reminded of the verse in 2 Corinthians 10:5 " We demolish pretensions and arguments that set itself against the knowledge of God and we take captive of every thought and make it obedient to God."

Wanna really drive out all those negative thoughts and focus on God and trust even when the future is uncertain..Lord, I place my decision on Your feet, may it honour You and may it within be within Your will...

had a great time at "Mu4 Chuan2" with CC, Den and Yimin, shall blog the pics at what happ when i receive them..:P

God = Our Jehovah Jireh! :)

I am tagged :)

Just read Yi Cheng's blog after CG today ...wow true to his word he has already blogged down 5 weird things of himself!

I am tagged!!I am tagged!! What shall I do when someone tagged me? Read the rule belows. =)

Rules of the game:

1. Post 5 weird/random stuff abt yourself

2. At the end, list the names of 5 ppl who you want next to this and leave a comment "YOR ARE TAGGED" in their blogs and tell them to read your blog for rules!

wahahh..here are some weird / "random" things about myself hope that you all won't be too shocked...:P
wah have to spend some time to think lei good game Yicheng!!

1) I like to do poses in front of the mirror ie, look at my reflection whenever i pass by something reflective, eg check for hair lah, is my smile good enough? ie Ladies and Gentlemen, this is more "hiao" behaviour..wahahah..:P

2) I like to sleep with 3 pillows on, wahahh felt that one pillow is not high enough to support my head...dun ask me how i do it it works for me for so long le..:P wahahh i like to read before i sleep mah so i will prop up on pillows so before i know it its the morning le!! :P

3) I love to dance to 80's and some rock music also eg artists like Def Leppard, Firehouse, Bryan Adams, all the Hip Hop Music..I like to mimic the drums beat whenever i hear nice music blasting ..sometimes at home i will dance and go simply crazy, hope you all won't catch me in that man...

4) I absolutely love "Longans"!! the longan season is always near my birthday and i would just sit there for quite some time and FINISH the whole bunch!! love to eat it so much i can peel off the skin very fast, pop and out comes the seed!!

5)I think sometimes when i talk i actually "voice" out my random thinking...as in day dreaming stuff lah or weird thoughts, often inducing weird looks from people around me and sometimes people do not understand whatever i am trying to say..:P hang around me and you would know ahahah..:P

OKay lah the people i wanna tag...silly Yi cheng! now i cannot tag so many people le...
the 5 people i have chosen are:
Jeannie, Nancy, Kim, Nizam, Wilson

It's your turn to blog now!! :P Tag you are IT!

Embarrassing moments again!!

Gotta share with u all something really farnie today...

I was wearing this emprire cut/ baby doll top to work today..so very airy around the tummy area lah...so i stood near the "handicap" seat on the MRT reading my Bible and having a great time reading Colossians 1:11-12a.

Then ah...the train jerked and "air" seemed to get under my top, creating a momentary "pregnant" look as i lost my balance. The lady who was sleeping in the seat in front of me...suddenly jerked up and stood up immediately to offer me the seat!!!

ARGHHHHH!

I pretend not to see her do that and then this lady who was standing beside me..suddenly plonked down on the seat being offered and went "Thank you ah, Thank you ah!"

aiyoh.....*red light warning to lose some weight!!!* so embarrassing!!

:S

Changing Directions, Changing Gear

Think this song just ran through my head ..waahhaha no wonder i am so tired..wooo hoo brain activity yeah? Finally down to some exercise!! Will sing it out to you all when i see you all! :) written in the office again woo hooo...:P

This song aptly describes my emotions and feelings this period of time when I am in the midst of changing jobs and letting go of my past hurts..so decided to pen this down in a song...recorded the excerpt of it in my MP3 player..:P
TIME: 345pm, added a Bridge to my song...)

CHANGING DIRECTIONS

Verse 1

Lord I look upon Your countenance, Your beau-tiful face

And You bring me peace and comfort by the fullness of Your Grace

I was lost and misguided when I look to my own desires

But You came and pull me back from all those lies.

Verse 2

Pretty things and wonderful toys, all the things that hold me down

I find it hard to sur-render to You when all these that keep me bound

Then I heard You calling to me, telling me that You love me more

Free-ing me from these chains Lord You restore!

CHORUS:

Lord I am chang-ing directions, to find the path that You have lead me,

No longer wandering in my wil-ful-ness

Draw from Your Grace I don't deserve


Lord I am chang-ing directions, when I put You fore my life,

And I find the peace that fills me through,

And The Word that brings the light to me,

Lord, when I changed my heart.....

BRIDGE:

All the paths that I trod,

And all the roads that I took,

Could not measure to Your perfect plan for me,

It's Your face, It's Your Grace (x2)

Everyuthing that I need it's in You..

(Back to Chorus)

Its the EXAMS time for NTU!-7th Nov 2005

My dear "di di" Timo! wahah a series of shots that captures our
expressions~
The gang of us who went back at TR 130 and Seminar Room 9
Da Rachel and Xiao Rachel
NTU New believer joining us for the first time!!
Eileen, you are my only love!! miss you loads!!

Went back with a group of bros and sis who had moved on to Adults group..everything is so surreal..its just a few months ago i was with them..in this very same room Seminar room 9 mugging for my last few papers....Patrick, Guoqiang, Shen Teng, Peiru, Sharon, Patrick, Hoe Ping, Ye Xiang, Qiuyan, Huan Jie, all went together..

We bought lots of food and groceries from the supermarket, coffee, cake biscuits, "liang teh"..
These are the brothers and sisters who have been with me in my study days in NTU and how i really missed the privilege of always able to meet up every day! reminded me of the days when the whole of YA would come and bless the NTU community wahahah....

That is when i know i must learn to grow up..wahahh part of me still with them la..really encouraged to see God move in the land of NTU..having poured out 7 new babies into the group!
We were so discouraged at one point when all the graduates had moved on there would be no one left in the group...thank God for this outpouring of His grace and once again showed how wonderful it is when we moved and worked together with God in outreaching lost souls...Indeed it was really encouraging to see New believers joining the study group and share lives together!

How wonderful is fellowship..stayed for quite a while and really prayed for those who were having papers..NTU "ni yao jia you oh"!!

You Stand Alone

YOU STAND ALONE

I will lay me down

At Your feet in worship

And listen to the

Sweetest sound of all


Oh GOD You are my God

How my heart it longs for You

I'm thirsty for Your presence

In my world


I cry out night and day for more

To HOLD the majesty of YOU


MY God YOU STAND ALONE

And I worship at Your throne

I will look to see

Your power and glory

Jesus Lord of all

Jesus Lord of ALL.....

Battery NOT included!!

Story of a gal and a battery in her wallet..

she looked through her wallet the other day... this battery still sits in the coin compartment of her wallet...why does she carry a battery you would say?

Two months ago, a gal full of dreams of expectations had splurged all her money on preparation for violin exams. All that she had ever saved or earned those few months had went into the exam. The hiring of the pianist, the music lessons, the paying of the exam fees itself, the booking of the music studio to rehearse...for those few months she's really broke, scrimped on meals and stuff...so for a good two months, being so broke, she could not even afford to buy batteries for her MP3 player.

The MP3 player is absolutely essential to the musio, she would really need to really listen to the songs that are often given last minute and to figure out the chords and what to play for her violin part. Cos most of the songs do not have strings interlude in them.

So then, came one day that someone asked if she could pass all her digital photos to him for him to compile, all the photogs like to pool our photos together often we would have a good laugh at what we saw in those pictures from other units...:) of course we would share them out lah...:P Having no thumbdrive, her MP3 player serves as a detachable thumbdrive. So then this gal uploaded all her photos and passed to this someone, the MP3 player. He was shocked that she had passed him her precious MP3 player.

"You don't need to listen meh? You on duty right?"

"It's okay lah, I don't have money to buy the batteries anyway...upload already pass back to me okay?"

On duty that Sunday, the gal gets back her MP3 player and put it aside, since its a thumbdrive, the gal could pluck it out and plug it in the USB port of her computer to save on batteries!!....wahahh you would think of all the ways to save money when you are absolutely broke!

Finally got some money to buy a cheapo pack of batteries, opened the battery compartment and VOLA! There's this really "higher end" battery sitting in the player. "Eh, i dun use this brand lei, how come got this battery in the compartment?" She pressed the "ON" button, it worked...

Finally, it dawned on her, tears started to flow down her cheeks like a silly little gal...she MSN that someone whom refused to tell her where the battery come from..

"If its not you who put the battery in then it must be an ANGEL..."

"The ANGEL knows that you have no money to buy batteries, bless you with a titanium battery, lasts way longer than the normal alkaline ones.."

The gal's tears flowed, silly gal, simple acts of kindness like that do touch her, how much does God love her to grant her such small gifts to show that He cared!

For a good few months, the gal looked up to the "ANGEL" a lot, shared a lot of things to her "angel"....looking back the girl is glad that she's finally stepping outta the emotional rollercoaster ride..

Was digging into her wallet, saw the battery again, she had put it there cos she could not bear to use the gift from her "angel"....Finally took it out today, not to think about it again ..waved the battery about and told GOD about her wallet and hence forth her emotional baggage during what she would call the mini "dark ages" of her life...

"Dear LORD, Battery NOT included this time!......."

:)

Paradise Worship Seminar 2nd and 3rd Nov 2005!!

The guitarist together with the drummer, very cool rifts and coordination among the band members..they really gel together and very very tight as a band..:P
Our young aspiring drummer, Nicholas!! hee hee love this boy...worship leader Ah Long's son..:)

With Olie Sebastian and Anna Bunton..:) Olie conducted my Songwriting workshop and Anna was leading the Worship Leading workshop...really nice and friendly people...:)
Our young star..:) dun disturb me i am on duty!!! :P
Paradise Worship team came to Singapore!

have the privilege to talk to the band members to serve at the concerts and take photo with the band members! really really cool!

Loved Olie Sebastian and Pastor Paul Zaia! The worship was great too, the singers wowed the crowd with their lovely voice, the female worship leader, Anna Bunton sang very well too...
He gave a very heart warming sharing on how to write good songs for the house of the Lord and also how as musios, our passion for the Lord must be greater than the passion that we have of our skills..every word spoke to me and also he could really understand the heart of musios when we serve in a frontline ministry like that...the songs they sing are great! We have been singing of their songs for some time liao wor...example "Shout to the Lord" "You Laid Aside Your Majesty.." wahhah and we thought it was sung by the Hillsongs people!..:) they were really good stage ministers and ppl were not just awed by their voices and skills but really the anointing that flows from them and the presence of God was really great that day..

****Pssst will ushers get our rewards soon? hee hee hee...

Will share about what i learnt in another entry..enjoy some photos yeah?

Forrest Gump's Feather!!

It was one of thoes rare and lazy afternoons last Saturday i guess...i was sitting on my couch at home munching a banana...and would u believe it....asking God at the same time about my life..praying to God that He would speak to me more and reveal my weakness...why am i so emotional?

sigh....those lazy afternoons where you wanna do anything but just daydream..but this day is different...God was showing me all those flashbacks of my last few months..the mistakes that I have made...of course the joy and laughter shared...then my thoughts fall on......well......that someone and the particular phase where i was so emotionally affected...and would you believe it? When I was praying to God to heal me and to reveal to me my purpose and future...a feather fell to my shoulder! a small white sweet feather...macham Forrest Gump when he opened his book in the movie and the feather flew out.....

It was like a very sweet moment and I felt as if an angel with wings was with me at that moment...listening to me and really comforting me....all this happening when i was praying and thinking about sigh....and you would think that "aiyah that silly Rachel, sit there whole day think of that only.." To me its a comforting thought from God that He heals my hurts and fulfills my needs...my rest of the day was basked in love just with God at how beautiful He chose to reveal about my life and His plans for me bit by bit...rather than a huge torchlight to immediately reveal all things...its was like a warm lamp showing bits slowly..:)

The song "Under the Shadow of Your Wings" began to play in my mind...

" Under the Shadow of Your wings, I will fly ..."

Lovely verse today!! (From KIM)

This verse today has touched me...another round of testing from God...yeah holding on tightly to God now..no where i can turn to le..:)

"Happy are those who are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do" ~ Psalm 1:3

Praying that we would always be beside the living streams of our Lord the Saviour who would always give us strength...:)

6th Nov 2005-Sunday

I know the TRUTH,

My heart is HEALED,

My strength is in YOU.

I know the TRUTH,

Its done already,

The TRUTH has set me FREE.......

Comm Care Event 29th October 2005

Called to host again..

Punggol Primary School.

Its a really hot and scorching day..something in my heart draws me back to the school compound, it suddenly feels good to be in the company of kids again after the 6 month stint as a relief teacher..

Is is You Lord? DO you want me to be a teacher? Need the confirmation...can't see the future...
my current job is ending soon...i can feel it even if my boss dun tell me about my contract renewal...
The kids...loved them, a few of them remembered me from the first Comm care event that we had in June, the sweet little Malay girl who's really on and Chinese girl called Yilin...

Love to be in the company of kids, played and chatted with some of them...

Helped Poy tie the balloon sculptures, another Indian kid Vickes comes along....my heart just wanna go out and cuddle her and to show love to her as i watched her play the balloons in a childlike manner..:) ....hey in case any ppl out there thinking..this is not a warped mind speaking wahah...

I am born into okay lah....slightly more privilege than the others, think it would take me a while to understand their plight and their family background their pain and their plight...each would have a story to tell...the hosting went well, my co-host Zhen Min really had to talk as if we are talking to kids ...going down to their levels so that the kids will understand....

Compassion for the kids grew in my heart...this day is for them Lord! I hope to bring too some joy in the lives! think i screamed louder than the kids during the games, playing with them really warms my heart..

What's this tugging of the heart? Is it the calling of a teacher?

I have never felt this before...

sigh ..saw the someone again...how long more will this someone keep swimming in my mind like that? ..its a good 2 long months le....Lord Jesus set me free....

some of my photos..:)

Aiyoh...if forced to take picture i will give this silly face lor..:P at a blood donation in July??
Then, with the lovely Angela and Peiqi!!
The next two taken from my cousin's wedding recently with my model younger cousin, Pern Ren....wahahah look like family shot.
The last... all my favourite "tang di di" heee very cute but naughty boys..

My Violin Exam results!! 12th October 2005

Barely one month after my fateful violin exam....

There i saw the very familiar Singapore Symphony Orchestra envelop..

THIS IS IT....

remembering my trauma all those years ago when i was still a young girl of 13, when i sat for the exact same grade 5 violin exam...i failed that time and it was really a trigger point for me cos then, my mum STOPPED me from learning violin from my teacher then..somewhere in my heart BROKE.

I had just come back from the Missions Training Night and my heart was really prepared to see the envelop...

THIS IS IT...

I fell down on my knees and pray.."Whatever happens Lord, Whatever is behind this envelop, this time round ITS YOURS O Lord, Its YOURS, for YOUR Glory and for YOU, may I be always thankful for what You have given me be it good or bad, pray also for Your mercy to be on me...I just want to PASS! "

Its like its taking forever to open the envelop...i tore open the envelop and CANNOT believe my eyes...I had passed , not just a pass but with DISTINCTION~!!!!

oh my gosh? for a good long moment i was stunned....i took my calculator (engineering blood still in me) counted the marks...re- add them all up..130 upon 150!! WOW God!! THANK YOU! The comments that the examiner had written were really flattering too! Sure or not?

I cannot believe what God has given me! Prayed a prayer of thanksgiving and could not contain myself...jumped up and down....sms-ed all my dear friends immediately after that...my sheep, my shepherd...my violin teacher Lester, my accompanist Salome...

When i showed my mum the next morning she also went..."SURE or not? Liddat also can ah?" hahah JEANNIE, i can totally relate to you about your mum!!!

All this is part of the miracle that God had prepared for me...I was really pressed for time...remembering all the times when I had to carry Anthony to practice in the void deck of Bras Brasah Complex for a number of weeks after work,even arriving early before CG days to book the room and play... practised only 3 times with my accompanist cos i ahave no money to hire her for more....forgot my scales on the actual day..WOW God! YOUR LOVE IS AMAZING!

only You could write such a beautiful story O Lord! i dedicate this exam result and my skills which You have blessed me to You and Your house alone!

Missions Training Night

12th October 2005

Today is the day when our team gathered for the Missions Training at IBMEC.
Really wanted to go into the missions field for years now....ever since 2002! hahah money has always been a huge factor for me...can't go due to financial difficulties...heee ..well this is finally the chance to go! i signed up for the trip during on the "Friends of South America" night with Teck Keong and told me about my interest to go and to expose my self to local culture.

I had spent a few days praying and also to hear from God how He would lead me and guide me in this...there are many obstacles...my leave lah, my parents lah...funding is not a problem this time round....cos ah working already mah hee...

Entered in the room, saw my team members for the first time...really glad to be able to cos dun know how long i have waited for this day. Teck Keong is our team leader, we have Keng Suan, Addy, Jasmine, Doreen, Jeremy and myself.:)

We did spiritual giftings test and found out a little of our group's dynamics hee very interesting to know how different members actually go there with a slight difference in expectations , but could really see all of us having a heart for missions and to do God's work..:)

Da Jian Ming showed us videos and clips from the previous missions trips from our District, the Pretchabun trip, the trip that Poy and Cryst they all went..Patrick came up and shared about their experiences there and how they themselves were personally blessed by the group and the people there.

I am personally inspired..Jian Ming told us to "rough it out" ....living in a very comfortable home and having almost everything that i wanted...this is what i want to go to experience to touch the lives of the local people, to learn about their culture and to spread the love of GOD!

We gathered after that at the S11 foodcourt, actually a lot of uncertainties still lingered in our team; there were no responses from the Indo church whether we could enter there, our leave approval esp for the only teacher in our group, Jeremy, parents' approval and also lots of other factors, we set aside time to really pray, fast and to seek GOD..want to make this trip happen not just for us but for GOD...:)

We were all very excited, set aside mini tasks on what we want to do for the trip, prepare Indo praise and worship? hahah research on notes how to share and be culturally relevant? whaha all these really serve an important part in the preparation in leading up to the trip itself, pray also for our heart conditions to be ready and at ease with God..:)

Lord, You gotta make this trip HAPPEN! :)

Mingzhu's and Sandy's SONG!!

9th October 2005 (Saturday)

This is the song that Lee and me have written for Mingzhu and Sandy...Lee,lyrics, Rac, melody..

D Dmaj7 D Dmaj7

Sandy Sunshine

D G Asus4 A

She brings a smile to my face

Mingzhu beauty

She leaves us all standing stunned

Sandy helpful

Always there to give a hand

Mingzhu sweet and kind

She encourages us all

Chorus:

G A D Dsus

And these two sisters, their birthday today

G A D Dsus (D Dmaj7 D2 to end)

Let us join in celebration (Repeat)

Glamour shots anyone? MZ and Sandy's birthday!

9th October 2005 (Saturday)

Had a good rest..really slept like a log...the past few weeks has just been in one word..HECTIC...

Today's the day! we are celebrating Mingzhu's and sandy's birthday yeah heeeee! It's Mingzhu's actual birthday and this is the first time she's celebrating with us...:)

Both sisters are very dear to me, Mingzhu, one of my bestest buddies from NTU days and Sandy, well she's really sunshine to my life! LURRRVE YOU BOTH! muaks!

din manage to get the car today..wah sure hafta rush here and there liao..:P
Pamela had messaged me the previous week if I could help her with her DND make over.
could not resist...used to do this kinda thing when i was in NTU hall...was the pageant helpers in make up and hair!! waahah those were the days..

made my way to Clementi at around 330pm to meet Pam at her house. Wah...her house and her room is very nicely kept! love her room and the way she decorates it also!

pulled out all my "equipment" wahah all the make-up sets, the "or pins" the spray and gel..wahah think ah i could really think of doing part time make over artist...so fun!

looked at the watch..not much time gotta rush to meet Lee later to prepare our "special" for the sweet birthday gals..

Had a really good time with Pam, she's like my this one fren whom i can really share and talk to in WAM. She's the second keyboardist and always stands beside me..I have only 1 and half hour...wolfed down my "lunch" of "min jiang kueh" and kopi wahahh this is really my favourite snack! wahahh hey you guys know what do to ah? i always say i am a "simple" woman...just get me "min jiang kueh" wahahh or peanut pancake...wahhhah aiyah ..to side track...my dad loves me so much..he went to devise the recipe for the min jiang kueh!! we used to HOME MAKE them! wahahah love u lots Pa!!

We jammed to Lincoln Brewster and Lisa Ono on the PC.. she helped me tune my guitar and all...really cool then i did her hair pronto..really enjoy designing all the styles and the look that she would look in her outfit, which is a sweet yellow dress with flower embroidery.:) wow! I am amazed to at how much efforts that we girls take to really dress up for an occasion like this...so interesting the theme of her DND..all people are to come dressed in one colour!! :)

Pam was really sweet and she gave me a lift to Raffles MRT after that...walked to Lee's office we were so excited..initially we wanted to do a skit of the girls at Sandy's request..wahah then we by the grace of God after praying we managed to come up with a song for them! hey Yicheng! post the song lei!! will post the lyrics and chords to the song lata...

Dinner was cool with really heartwarming sharing at the restaurant...had a whiff of Turkish coffee which is famous for all the coffee "dredges" mixed in a teeeny weeeny cup..hahh Guang Rong and me tried it and we were like waiting for the dredges to settle to the bottom! wahahh the thing really looked like black tar!!! we were encouraged when we saw so many friends coming...

We chatted and shared till late until the restaurant was closing! we continue at TCC (=Teh Chai Choo? :P) some more.. till 11 plus ..

Hey Sandy and Mingzhu hope u all like the pressies....:) Hope you all have a very enjoyable birthday!! :)
love lots...MUAKSSS!!

more photos..:)

Some photos during Lunch on Sunday 2nd Oct 2005

Planning for all the Birthdays~

5th October 2005 (Wednesday)

Received a call from Kim that Dennis can't take over as the overall coordinator for Sandy and Mingzhu's birthday bash....He has got a wedding to attend..

Kim: "You ke2 yi3 ma1?"

Kim's pet phrase....hahah seems like she always says this to me! its very true that in the midst of serving God that we dun forget the ultimate purpose for us doing the things that we do, Its because we LOVE God , not on our own strength..its simple words like this, acts of kindness that really warms my heart. I knew that in the midst of busyness we have to seek God.
How many times I have wallow in self pity, and the pursuit of significance that I feel lost and unworthy and unwanted? brawling like a spoil child when i do not get the recognition that i wanted? God still loves me even though i do not serve so much, get my perspectives right first. I AM a child of GOD!

I took up the challenge, hooo hoooo, rushed through the next few hours brainstorming with Lee ( what can i do without you man?) furiously msn-ing, where to eat ah? what to do ah? who to call ah?

Lunch time...rushed out alone been a long while since i last lunched with my colleagues..bad Rachel! tried out the cafe at Shaw Centre and went to SOFRA Restuarant at Kim's suggestion.
the moment i stepped there at the restaurant..fell in love with it IMMEDIATELY!!

there were pretty cushions, and candle lit tables, the atmosphere is simply great!

Met the manager on duty that day Adeline, really blessed because when i told her i wanna organise for a birthday party for about 10-12 people, she took me immediately to a really cozy place where we could share and laze around after the dinner! The corner is simply great! haha..
Thank GOD! no need to search le..this place already has my heart. Adeline was very gracious, even though its the first time we meet, she agreed to reserve the place for me. That's really good business tactic if you ask me....Customer trust and respect.:) That week is still in the Puasa month for Muslims, so the timing has be very tight, we gotta reach there slighly after 730pm on Sat ... she has a chart even on the timings that the Muslims break fast..for a moment i forgot that though the restuarant is Turkish....its pretty much Muslim..:)

Booked the place immediately and rushed back to work...wahahah

Jamming Session at Guitar 77

4th October 2005
Jamming session at Excelsior

This is a real first for me. Went to jam at this really cool studio at Excelsior Hotel, called Guitar 77. A friend of Jacob, Uncle Dennis owns the shop.
Its really cool man the equipment one of the best that I have seen. Haha
Bestest this week is the first time I am serving under Pastor Lawrence.
We made a dig at the songs that were chosen..I have not heard them before! Really bad we all…its that old!!

You are the The King and Who is Like Thee

Wendy has to convert the tracks from a CASSETTE mind you into digital format for my sake!! Hahah thank God for Wendy working in a production company with equipment like these!

Pastor Dinah is preaching this week on the topic on “Customising God” and had asked me to play for her the altar call song, Throne of Praise by Don Moen.
That makes me play 2 times this month….pray for God’s anointing ..:)
Heard that Pastor Law chose the songs very “strings” one …really stressful on me! The song “I will Bow to You” is actually played in cello at the lower register if we had to play on the violin…my scales in B is HORRENDOUS. Please see entry on violin exam for more details..wahahah..:P yeah made it by God’s grace.

Screamed so loudly after jamming session that the twins, Geo and Gerald were shocked.

“I saw Xiao Qiang!!”

Sub D Sports Day!! 1st October 2005

wahahah this is like my first time hosting an event for Sub D...its our Sports Day today "Sweat It Out" Was asked by Peiks to host the event two weeks before...mixture of excitement and anxiety actually...although i have been cheerleading during Uni days...this is a whole new ball game to me..the crowds the AGE group wahahah and of course the spirit of the people bah..still rather new to Adults i feel..:P

had spent the last few days prior to this event rather i would call it "sleepless" nights wahaha...besides the occasional waking up in the middle of the morning to pray , i had stayed up to brainstorm the script with Chukai my co-host for this event since Monday! i was telling God its like "Bam Bam Bam, ministry!" You see Sunday I had just played for 3 services...this week is the starting of the downloading of data for 26 countries reporting to be done...by midweek...my face started to outbreak and stress was written on my brow! wahaha..Our script was edited a few times actually wahaha...

Initially we had written scripts in to "poke" at our Co-hosts wahahh then Peiks came in and went "the golden rule is :- You should NOT put down your Co-host!" I am so blessed by this sister! she stayed up with us and gave us good tips on how to host...even re-wrote the script for us!! Peiks if you are reading this, *BIG HUGS!!* Thanks!!

Finally the day has arrived, sms-ed our dear brother Tony a birthday greeting, very groggy, O Lord You must lead me Lord! I am nearly drained from all the late nights and I realised that I had to drive also....took the car at 1030 and started driving to ah Zhu's house..realised that I am so "blur" i missed a turning and hafta turn one big round!! wahahah after picking up Ah Zhu, drove on to Kim's house!! could you believe it? MISSED the exit to Kim's place again!! wahaha..now i have to go through unfamiliar roads....indeed i was circling around the Boon Keng and Towner Road area before i finally settled down in one place and whipped out the Street Directory to get my coordinates right...so farnie!! wahaha...Pa dun scold me for wasting the petrol man! wahah...

Finally reached Kim's place...had a good time eating Nasi Goreng and Roti John. Kim offered to help Ah Zhu iron her shirt...its her first Sunday serving as a Usher toml! I am so proud of her!! :) Really its God that changes hearts! Really blessed also by her spirit to serve and grow in the Lord!!

After a short prayer we set off, met with heavy rains and visibility was really bad..think a lot of us volunteers were really praying in our hearts for the rain to stop for the event to carry on..true enough..the moment we reached the Pasir Ris Park the rain stopped! God is so faithful! Thank You LORD! The volunteers are already there at 2 plus and setting up and tying water bombs...me and Chukai started to rehearse our scripts and so farnie...din know we were so comfy with each other!! wahah we were so natural at poking fun at each other, must really thank God for using Chukai! He was the one who brought me to Hope all those years ago. Chukai, me and Yee Ping were year 1 course mates in NTU and we all were part of a gang who always stayed together to study. I guess I really saw the Christ living in him and one fine day, I went up to him in 2001 after a prompting from God to commit my life back to Him, "Hey Chukai, could you bring me to your church?" He was like, `eye big big' whahah for those who have known me earlier...i was really an true blue "Ah Lian" my former days without living for God was terrible..

I went clubbing, i hang out in pubs, i drank a lot...yeah hang out with all the "ah bengs" wahahh had a really crazy life without much aim and meaning...really God changes lives! As I look back at what He has done in my life from 2001 till now...its amazing i tell you! Think my friends whom i used to hang out with last time will not have expected this man..."Rachel Holy-moly" some of them would chant when i told them that i am part of the church worship team...:) I guess its really true during one of the sermons when the Pastor mentioned that as you grow more in Christ, you draw further away from your wordly friends..:)

Anyway, wanna thank God for bringing Chukai into my life to let me experience this life changing love that only God can give..:) We had great fun, asking the group to mimick all the cheers of the "super action heroes" and noticed some great stunts do look at my photo link which i will send out where i would consolidate all the photos...

We all felt that the warm up was more tiring than the actual games itself! so farnie...had a go at Dodgeball where i joined Dennis' Bruce Lee team...wahahah i really siam all the shots coming at me like crazy! think its because they think i am an easy target for being so big sized!! waha...i became the last person standing! thanks to Yicheng! i was finally knocked out...too tired to siam balls already...took a lot of pictures of people around...:)

Kok Siang and Nicholas brought along their pet dogs and they became instant superstars! took a lot of pictures with the cute "starhub" puppy also..heheh well then during tug o war, the hose actually broke!! so we resumed with water bomb games also...wahahh really whacked everyone with the water bombs in our hands...me lah itchy fingers go and provoke those who are really armed with water bombs and was dretched to the skin!! wait till i catch the person who threw a bomb on my head...all my hair cream to sustain my curls came oozing down my face!! It was a Inter Unit sorta competition whereby we would have to destroy the piece of vanguard hanging from our UL's neck.....all of us "bakat" and we rushed towards A unit! wahahah i was hugging Ai Ai and kena from the rest showers of blessings too ....its a warzone back there..:P Guang Rong who ran so fast that no one could catch him emerged victorious! yay! we won just like that! wahaha..:P

i really look a sight! Thank God for Chukai, always filling in the gaps during the hosting them and i can't stop praising him for being part of the hosting..can't imagine anyone who can be so "mo qi" with me...dinner was spent quietly on groundsheets spread on the ground...its really a wonderful day...

Guess the cheer that i bring home with me today is from Peiks and Poy's group who were in the "Neo" group from the "Matrix" haah
it goes, "THERE IS NO SPOON!!!"

Girls' NITE out!!

30th September 2005

eheheh sorry for this overdue posting...Really look forward to today, its a long awaited Girls' night out for Jeannie, Sarah and me! we have been like close sisters since NTU days..sorta "grow" together in faith lah heee..went to Word for life courses today and served today very closely, Sarah and me were in the Core Team under Jeannie back in NTU days when she was our CL. ...anyway, we are really tied up with work and ministry..Jeannie's now in University Support Ministry and working as a Hostel Officer and Sarah, a very busy auditor in another Sub D all together, the NG1 group and me in NG5...really treasure the time we could meet up like this cos its really really rare...:)

Met up with Jeannie first, wahahh i gotta blog this..reached Far East Plaza at around 615pm and saw Dennis who was waiting for Guang Rong...he was soooo soooo SHY! I have to keep turning my ear at him to catch what he was actually speaking man! hahah he din turn to face me when he was talking to me...so farnie! wahaha...me and Jeannie raided the Level One at Far East to shop for a suitable bag for Tony our former SDL wahaha....went to this "Ah Beng" looking shop and saw a really nice sling bag with leather straps...but then me and Jeannie were super amused by the "Ah Beng" store assistant, He kept talking to us with the deep "throaty" voice that the bengs use to talk in...wahahah...describing all the bags...

(*Cue: deep throaty voice*) "Duhhh, this bag is very suitable for your friend, Duhhh, how tall is he ah?" I can't wipe the smile off my face...my cheekiness is oozing out....wahaha wanna suan him there and then lei and mimick his voice!! wahaha..Jeannie mentioned, "COS i am shopping with an AH LIAN mah..." In the end we splurged on bags for ourself and our dear brother Tony at another shop!! wahahh sorry lah beng!!

Went to The Coffee Club at Takashimaya and waited for our dear friend Sarah who was really caught up with all the auditing work...treated ourselves to Caesar's Salad and Cheese Pasta...really sinful i tell you...so long nebber eat like that already... then we had teas and coffee like 3 true blue "tai tais" I tried this strawberry flavoured tea and it smells so good!
We din seem to run out of ideas to talk....so good, sat there and chatted for a good 2 hour plus..forget about shopping hee hee..:P Met another sister Brenda there too..:)

What a great night! Looking for more chances like this to go out too..:)

25th September 2005

Played for 3 services!!

haahh today is the first day i am going to step outta my house to church with my new hairdo! woke up like super early than usual when i am on duty to get ready..wahahaha..can you imagine a whopping 5:30am!!
actually also lately God has already woke me up super early lately to pray...after a short time of prayer and worshipping with a short song, i started to twill my hair..its such a hassle man! with all the hair products and all! :P
Reached church slightly late at around 740pm..must start practising to really prepare myself to work faster on my hair otherwise i will be late for work all the time man!

Today's Sandy turn to share testimony! Really encouraged by her humility and her courage to share her testimony on stage..She had a healing testimony also..her eyes had kept tearing from the morning, was so afraid that she had contracted sore eyes too! But when Chai Choo prayed for her ..her eyes were healed..:P

Thank God for this sister who has really brought me so much joy in the caregroup, one of the buddies in my group that helped me to adapt to adjusting life in Adults group also.

The praise songs today are :You Gave Me Love, Awesome in this place, My Redeemer Lives,
Worship: Exceeding Joy, You are Holy, Divine Exchange

Prayer Meet: Jesus Loves Me, and I have decided to Follow Jesus

During the practice session, we also made a joke that whenever the violin starts any worship song its sounds soo so sad..i played the Jesus Loves me intro and it really takes out the "kiddiness" in the song that initially thought it will be..gave myself a new attitude in playing the song also

We made this comment that every time Leeveh leads, our Praise songs very shiong for all the musios..wahahah....really fast paced leh all the songs..we were quite outta breath by the time the Praise ended..esp for the drummer Wendy...(I LURVE YOU WENDEEE!) wahah my fingers were sore!

So farnie, Anthony jumped peg again due to the cold temperature and partly because i had put new strings on him...the D string went super off key!! i was about to do the intro for My Redeemer lives when ..."eh, how come "zhao sia" whaahh do a immediate transposing on the spot on stage...so stress when your instrument do this to you!! wahah..

Everyone teased me on my new hairdo...one of my bestest frens in church, Sarah Lau, made a loud comment when i told her the price.."WAH TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS AH?!!" yeah that's it...we two combined can put all the loud hailers to shame..:P she's a very dear sister to me...:)

Rushed through lunch to then join Peiqi and Li Hong in the planning of the Emceeing on Saturday's Sub D Sports Day. They were celebrating Teck Kiong's birthday at Meridian ...he's also one of the first few brothers in NTU who made me really like the family of Hope bros and sis also..heheh...

After much laughter on how we are going to emcee the event, rushed to play for Filipino service at 4pm and was really encouraged by their attitude towards serving God and their heart for Praise and Worship! you all should have seen how they worship God! its really a overflowing of joy and happiness and a very strong sense of enthusiasm! really applaud Levveh also...you all know tat he had actualli morning duty that Sunday till 730am at IMH before leading worship for 3 services? really thank God for his heart and dedication to the church...

Had a late celebration of my mum's birthday at the Ang Mo Kio's Jack's place, the place where our family faithfully visited for 20 years!! wahaha...she's really happy lah..and we bought her a cake and sang the birthday song for her at the restaurant....:) great day...man i was shacked out by the time i reached home...plonked down and slept at 1130pm!! just so so tiiiiireeeeddd...zzzzzz....

Rachel's BIG BANG theory!!

24th September 2005

Woke up with a tinge of excitement in my heart....me and Mingzhu going to do it today!!
wahahah remember the Plug-In 2 weeks ago? We had actually bought some vouchers and we are going to splurge on Jean Yip of all places...

for months i have lived on messy-dried up hair cos one thing no money to go and cut or rehighlight lah heheeh..so made an appointment with the salon and tried to find the place after much difficulty at United Square at Novena...apprehensive lah....whipped out calculator and started counting the costs...super ex leh to do rebonding or perming...

That's it decided to go for digital perm...rather sick of my hair tho...cos i din change my style of hair cut for years bah...Mingzhu decided on a rebonding new do...THAT is the start of the agony....my agony at least....they really set us up..pour chemicals on our hair and stuff...that alone took about 2-3 hours....man i was so hungry as i did not have any breakfast...then Mingzhu had a really lovely straigthening done...me really scared cos heard lots of horror stories on how people would look older and all....

well...the perming took about another hour.... 4 hours in total with all the treatment and preparation..wah say...how did the girls normally do it man? sigh i could do so many things in 4 hours!! By the time we were done its already 3pm!! we were there since 11am! wah....

hahah effects din turned out as the pictures in the book lah hehe...

so farnie...had actualli took pics of myself and sms loads of ppl about my new hair do..tml's going on stage...we have to NOT WASH our hair for 2 days!! EEEEEWWWWWWW......

had a great time with Mingzhu as she shared about the breakthroughs in her sister's relationship and her heart to want to serve God in ushering! i was so encouraged by the work of God in her life! Indeed ...God is so much more than we can ever imagine...this seed of faith in her has really strengthened so much that even when she prayed for her sister...i could really sense her desire to see God move in her family's heart...such a small inconspicuous me...such a great God!

*Mingzhu if you read this hope you dun mind cos really feel that must encourage you also..:) God honours those who hearts are wholly after Him...1 Samuel 16:9..*

We reached the Kreta Ayer CC...very shy to go in cos have been telling Poy and all that we are not playing the badminton...the "hiao" side of me refusing to play and make my hair dirty....received a lot of teasing from the guys....had a great time marking Dennis' school papers haha....and singing Christmas carols... me actualli played badminton a while with yicheng as my partner......

dun know the rules ..hahah kena trashed by Guangrong and KK...hahah wait you all play with me contact games me so not a racket games person...challenge me volleyball and basketball lah...i am more "chor lor" although my looks now dun warren it..:P

there..my "Big Bang (on-my-head) theory...get it? wahahahaha...

Emotionally draining week

18-23rd September 2005

I know by the time that i have written this down..i have gone through quite a bad emotional struggle...this period of time..all my intimate thoughts with God are written into a small blue book which i carried with me lah...
had actually fasted and prayed together with CC and Kim on Tuesday...we all need this "Anchor Point" in time...so that we would not be tossed and turned by the waves i guess...how true the Bible is!

i have a bad habit of siaming...hahah but this time round i really pulled myself to face all the problems..talk to God about it....examine my thoughts and actions...why i am subjected to this kind of emotional onslaught again ?
every single time i seem to be hard hit and i dwell in them...on tuesday...jamming session for WAM on Sunday..all the songs speak to me~

"You gave me a love that cause my heart to overflow,
You gave me a love much deeper than I'd ever known,
You have set my feet upon the ground,
Put within my heart a brand new song

You gave me a love, offered my life a brand new start
You gave me a love sent straight from Heaven to my heart,
Further than the east is from the west,
Taken all my sin and brokeness...

You gave me love, You gave me love

I can see better days ahead,
Our land will dance again because of You,
Voices will be heard with shouts of joy
You've done mighty things, let the nations sing..

You gave me love, You gave me love
You gave me love, You gave me love..."

I think i must have cried a bit when i was practising the songs....kept asking God to fill the void that i had in my heart....indeed God is good! I was filled with this unexplainable joy and my heart was strengthened. It's really true that Praise and Worship heals the soul and heals when you lean onto the Lord.

This period of time, my perspectives were once again set straight by God and there was this assurance from Him that He will always be with me no matter what...i look forward to Sunday where i could really praise Him and offer up sacrifice to God thru music. This is really a breakthrough if you ask me...I have not asked God for help so fervently before...indeed i was really really down...but its His love shown through many people around me and this assurance from Him that kept me going...I have a purpose and my purpose is not done yet...God is so not done with me yet...

Dun rush..wait , trust..hear His voice more..:)

Snow, Wolf, Lake!!!

16th September 2005

YEAH! its Snow ,Wolf, Lake day!! Already i stepped into the office looking forward the end of the day!!
hahaha...this is the day i have waited 7 years for it...so farnie looks like every single thing that i have been going through i have been waiting for a number of years for it...think this is the appreciation that comes from waiting for something so long that when it finally comes to pass or its here you really TREASURE the time......

although this time round it is showcased in Mandarin, having heard the Cantonese songs before...i had quite an expectation of this musical...last time too poor lah...the Cantonese version was shown during my JC days...met up with Angela from the other group, Vincent and Shuwei and Poy with a spanking new hairdo and hair colour....looks good oh....we tried to have dinner at Macs there but was really tied for time as the crowds were all there...

in the end we packed and sat at the pavillion at Kallang MRT to wait for the our groups respectively..it turns out that the other CG NG5A1 is going too! hahah...then heard that Peiqi felt sick and can't come for the Snow, Wolf, Lake tix...my first instinct is to ask my baby to come from home....okie my baby is my youngest sister..:) love her lots and she used to go to concerts with me...heheh..had a mad rush to exchange tix at Sengkang MRT and then to meet baby at Kallang MRT....in the end....realised that baby will be sitting away from me....in a desparate cry to ask people to exchange seats with me so that she can sit beside me....no one responded...then ah....Ai Ai mentioned, "Ask Poy lah!" ...it seems that he is really the only guy we can turn to now...

I have told someone before that its not words or anything fancy that touches me..but simple acts of kindness....the moment i called Poy and explained to him the situation...he gave a "OK, no problem" just like that....no hestitation...it really feels to me that he was ready to agree already without me asking for him to change seats with my sis...so that Baby can sit beside me during the concert....was really really touched....thank God for this bro leh..really dunno how many times i have praised him already...he's like the "dai gor" to each of us...caring for our needs..taking charge of everything...

The musical went on...hahh we are sitting so ooooo high up in the balcony that we could hardly see the actors on stage!
initially we thought that they would project the images on the big screen but nnnooooooo...well then the live singing is really really good....esp the song "Zhen Mo She De Ni" wow! it was sung when Wolf, was missing the ger, "Xue" when he was in prison...so sad.....really love his voice..altho could not agree more that the Cantonese version sounded much betta...me and everyone else who were there, Bernard, June, Jiawei, Shuwei and Vincent, really enjoyed the show...:)

the characters sang really well altho the sets were really small from where we were..and we could not really see very well... i must say this is a blessing from God that i can get to watch this musical from Peiqi!! the moment we walked out..we kept humming the tunes and singing a bit to the songs...its just soooo nice...:)

15th September 2005

THE VIOLIN EXAM!

This has to be the day that i am waiting for a very long time....its been two years! can u imagine with me? 2 years since i took up that form that WAM is looking for musicians during that fateful Sunday when i was serving as an usher....saw that WAM needed more musicians including violinists...i signed up right away...

Was a rather new member to Hope then...already serving in usher some time le....was hoping this is another direction to serve God in...always felt that i have a betta tendency to music...having served in the Christmas Choir in 2002.

Got through the auditions waaaaaaayyyy back in September 2003, i was serving as a Core Team in my CG, taking care of 2 sheep, even urged by my team leader then to rise up to be a Team Captain for Usher team B...too many responsibilities i guess...too little time for God...hence could explain why i fell away for a while..:) Could vividly remember the time when i first stepped into the audition...it was way back in Joo Chiat at our church office cos we used to have that place on the ground floor as our storeroom...:P played with the band for the very first time...hahah remembering meeting the Hope Twins...Geoffrey and Gerald... and Jacob ...played the worship song "No Greater Love" ...subsequent first time i played for service was in dec 28th 2003...can imagine Kim saying this now..."mega memory" hhahah was telling my friends that i rem the weirdest things....cannot rem my studies!! hahah..i had then decided to take up violin lessons to improve my skills again to play betta for God...

The journey to this path has not been easy..i had actualli stopped taking violin lessons for more than 11 years!! altho i played to different scores myself...the process can be really tiring when you had school and projects to meet ....so then it took me 2 years to prepare for this violin exam...to get my basics right again...

The morning i sprang up as usual...after much praying start to rehearse already for the violin exam...must be too nervous..all the basic scales sounds soooooo terrible!!! then my mum needs help in her computer stuff and keep asking me for help....my stress was already up my neck!! i nearly lost my temper at her...my mum actually then blessed me with 50 bucks more to pay for the transportation! wow! regretted i was so irritated with her moments ago..

Rushed down to Kovan where my exams will be held to meet Salome...warmed up a bit at the studio before heading down to the actual exam venue...The exam testimony is really amazing i tell u...both me and Salome are Christians so we prayed before we went into the studio...think ah..God must be preparing me for this exam cos having put me to work in "ang mohs" in DHL...haha i was not that afraid already as compared to my younger days when i took the exams...i was greeted by a really friendly looking guy and already my fear is dropping...i started on scales first....ahahahh can you imagine? I FORGOTTEN MY DIMINISHED SCALES IN A!!!!!!!! arghhhh

smiled and keep trying the scale...cannot come out....think ah its really times like this that God wants u to trust Him....i keep smiling lah and trying to remain calm....hahah then the examiner urged me to play another scale instead..that's the dimished scales in D...played it...then i managed to peep at my score cos i was rather tall mah eheheheh..i got 18 upon 21 marks!! that's God's grace for you!! then played the exam pieces....all the difficult notes could come out altho i still make many silly mistakes....ahahah....sight reading was awful...could barely manage the piece at first sight have to play leh....then another testimony...for the Aural and Sight Singing component...i was passed a passage whereby i have to read the notes and sing......it was EXACTLY the passage that i had practiced the night before!! can you imagine my surprise? felt like telling the examiner there and then.." HEY, i know how to sing this!" hahah of course not lah....throughout this whole exam God was really with me...treated myself and the pianist to a lunch at Sakae's Sushi afterwards..hehe

Thank God for bringing me through this whole period of struggling during rehearsals and actualli setting aside money to pay for all the fees....really God provides....as i look back on this path that i have taken...i appreciate the times of stretching....its only at the times when you are weak then you can only cling onto God!! May my results edify God! awaiting 5 more weeks...:P

13th September 2005

Super STRESSED and stretched!!

Lemme share with you all I could still feel the effects of that particular hectic week…There is only two more days left to my violin exams and I had only met my pianist Salome TWICE…tensions are mounting and coupled with me being very financially tight is not really helping. …Firstly I had tried to book my exam studios for the violin to start practicing but being so last min all the studios are fully booked…fully stressed, plus Monday was the day I took over the major reporting of each country performance report for …get this..26 COUNTRIES…the stress can be a bit overbearing…the sales data figures are out and my new “ang moh” boss is very demanding…he keeps coming at me every half an hour to check on my progress…I really at a loss on what to do cos the reports are very complicated for an IT idiot like me for the “gurus” out there reading this blog…if you know what’s VLOOKUP is about….i was really having a hard time writing the formulas and trying to adjust all the worksheets in order…

Initially, I had tried to set the timing to 1230 so that I could meet my pianist in peace and practice the violin..but this was not to be…hahah the reports really met with so many problems..already through Monday before Word for life I had already been carrying my lappie all over the place and even was stopped by the S11 management to not use their power supply!

Stress is written all my face I think..cos think the people who are closer to me could feel it….well..have been missing lunches just to complete the really tedious report….come 1pm…cannot make it lah…I am missing out the precious time I could have with my pianist….chop chop save the report into my thumbdrive and placed it on my boss’s table…apologized profusely for my rush…and really packed and scooted outta the office from the cargo lift!!

Trying all means to avoid him…had already took urgent leave in the afternoon…dun wanna waste this leave mah…when I reached my pianist place already half dead I tell you…:P Stress has been keeping me awake through the nights…what’s more had an increased sensitive to God’s voice…have been woken up by Him with a start almost every other day…with names appearing in my head to pray….indeed ever since I started on the Powerful Praying Church WFL class…my burden for praying has really increased…there were different names all the time…sometimes its praying for situations…and everytime I would pray until I fall asleep again or there’s this peace in my heart…:P

Okie back to my day…after the rehearsal…I had really bad neck and shoulder pains….
Wanted to save money by waiting for bus to go home and rest…cos there’s WAM Volunteer’s night in the evening..cannot make it…splurged on a cab again….really plonked down on my house’s sofa to sleep….must have strength for the WAM Volunteer’s night….

Come evening when I went to meet Wendy and Pam for dinner…we were all half dead…everyone is so not feeling well….Wendy had an upset stomach…me lethargic….Pam was also stressed….Then met my ex sheep Limin from NTU who was going for the WAM night too..she gave me a really pretty bracelet and a sweet card…a very belated bdae present.could not stop smiling later….its so nice to hear from her again!!

Had a really refreshing time during the WAM night…cos Jasmine shared with such passion and from her heart that we were all stirred..

We are all called to prepare the way into the Presence of God, cos when there’s a tangible presence of God, things change, people change!
We were also challenged to have a prophetic edge in our worship..that’s to say to hear God’s Word in our worship and in the services…we should not feel down or inadequate cos we can expect something different from God and that we are sent by God called by Him for a purpose…

Many times I feel that I really do not play well enough …as compared to those having higher grades than me ..cos there are some occasions that some Singapore Youth Orchestra people came and took my violin and the moment they took Anthony up..their fingers ran across the board like lightning!!!! Wow! Then it occurred to me ..God called me to this ministry….He will provide and He will use me to minister to His people…pray that my heart will so trust in Him!!

Jasmine also prompts us to have a preferring attitude in worship…others before self…with the harvest in mind…that’s the essence of our worship unto God….

What a refreshing night! Indeed my worries are really reaffirmed again by God! (

Celebrated Steve my fellow “kaki” in WAM (also the sax player) birthday..sang Happy Birthday..mind you he’s 30 and he does not look a day older than 27!! Terrible…what’s up with these people? What do they eat?

10th September 2005

Will post some photos on Dennis and Cryst's birthday makeover celebrations...let the pics speak for themselves..:) hahah

some photos from Plug In! 10th Sep 2005

wanna share these photos with you all..the tertiary outreach event we had at Spinelli's where we invited a guest speaker Merwyn from Jean Yip group to speak to us...i am so glad that my friends came!! :P

CG day!

8th September 2005

Very look forward today...its CG day...went into the small room at Fairfield and practised on Anthony again....the room was really hot cos it was facing the sun...all the heat was trapped in it!
Today's is unit CG..where Guang Rong shared bout the importance of keeping a log of our prayers and thoughts to God...its actually like love letters lah...very sweet just between you and God!..:) been rather Mel lately..sending alot of mel songs across to CG and friends...a lot of struggles and thoughts going through my mind...some of them has been rather personal so yeah its all in the little blue book that i am carrying....wrote down my many struggles....my thoughts and prayers to God...you know...all these really encourages me whenever I am down...to have a handy book with me to keep track of my walk with God!!

Dennis sat beside me today...hahah little did he know of the "devious" plan that we are going to do to him on Sat...so exciting..we are going to dress him up!! yeah make over!! i kept telling CC that he looks quite good...so with a little dressing should be really good...i deliberately put my feet next to his...rem that he told me his shoe size about the same as mine we had already bought him sandals and a new shirt....;P hope he appreciates what we are doing...then ah after CG we did not go home as usual...Poy drove me, GR and CC and we four sat and planned CG along the route to his house and in his car! Was supposed to drop me and CC first...but in the end...knowing us...we talked and talked...we had to ask Poy to drive to Yishun first to drop GR hahah from Sengkang!!

so fun! in the end..Cryst is going for a make over also...can you imagine with Poy and his car around..we are never going home early...*hahah dun kill me please...* we planned until 12 plus..way past midnight...tired but happy..can't wait for tml when we would choose Cryst's pressie...:P

The road leading up to the VIOLIN EXAM!

6th September 2005 Tuesday

Dear all,

I am BACK!! hahah not because i have disappeared from the face of this earth but that really had a very busy few weeks...dunno how to describe to you all...It started all with the 1st time i did a Performance Report for 26 countries! Remember that i was carrying a laptop all the way with me?
super stressed and the reports can't seem to finish ...today is the first day i started my violin rehearsal with my pianist Salome...its so great to work with fellow sisters in Christ...the studio owner happens to know one of the Hope twins, Geo..and she charged me so low for the booking of the studio..at only 20 per hour! The practice went well tho needs lots more improvement..already so tired and arm and neck pain from work...

The rehearsal is the first for the violin exam next thursday at 15th Sep! whee man i was tired...but i had a lot of fun finding out about Salome's life and what she likes...later i sent her home at Adjunied Crescent......messaged Poy cos my rehearsal place is at Kovan....wanna come out for coffee? silly Poy..me waited and waited for him...i already drove very slowy home..he din message...wait until around 1130pm when i have already returned the car then he came by... fetched Wilson and CC in the car then we all went for prata at Jalan Kayu..
hahha...my dad was so worried that he called and called...according to CC that Poy drove so fast home that night that she was so afraid that something would happen...thank God we are one piece..but really thank God for Poy..."mei you hua jiang"...:)