Rach and Marlene
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Kudos to Mr D I have made my first Public Performance at Mu4 Chuan2!
Honoured to sing with the guy who sang the title track for Tong2 Xin1 Yuan2
Mr D, Yimin and CC
Yimin, CC and Sleepy Rac
Wahhahah dun play so fast...i can't sing well..
Rachel's thought bubble:"(to the tune of We will Rock you)I will, I WILL WHACK YOU, WHACK YOU!!"
:P
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Christmas Service part 1- Kopitiam Christmas 18th Dec
yesh this is a hectic weekend...we had celebrated Cheng's birthday and had a unit event on Sat...quite burnt out already...the chalet was good and we snapped many photos....do look at the Kodakgallery for more details...
We had put up a skit which depicts the main character Samantha, having to make a number of life-transforming choices. Passion or Reality?
In the play, she had to choose between being a photographer and an accountant not to mention the slew of consequences that entails each decision....
The crowd was very open to discussion and they had a really good time opening up to the life choices that they had made..made the whole event feeling more like a CG then an outreach event wow! Many hands raised up for the path where she should choose love over her passion, and there was an interesting discussion that follows when reality sets in and when there's the problem of even making ends meet...the picture that all of us painted of love is not that rosy after all...
Sandy made a good discussion topic of allowing the crowd to think regarding life choices, how our life choices may be also based on circumstantial or restrictions that our parents have imposed on us? (Sandy, please clarify...:P) That question really opens up a lot of hearts as our friends such as Jason Teo, Charles even started sharing with conviction on why they had taken up the paths they had trod on.
Interesting...feel that it was really a good chance whereby we got to know more about the perspectives of our friends and our own brothers and sisters...
we had a good long talk and by the time we were all done, we were treated with Egg Nog, and Log cakes and Chocolate Fudge cakes..can you hear the waist lines expanding? i do!!
Thanks Peiks once again for the wonderful sumptuous food!
The unit really chilled out at the chalet, all played the "Lord of the Rings" Risk while some others were facinated with Anthony and kept playing and posing with him...and gamblers were at it with cards...we were having lots of fun...
Met a saint who took the form of an uncle who helped me to get out of a very tight parking space as many ppl had illegal parked along the carpark to watch football at the Kopi tiam..All of us had tried to reverse the SUV out but no one succeeded..the uncle steady go in twist and turn twist and turn the steering..and VOLA the car edged out!! Amazing i tell you!!
Wahahah i lost my way again just to offer them a ride to Tampines MRT from Changi Village....much to the chagrin of the passengers....Dennis was super stressed sitting beside me at the front...he was so tensed that he hit the dash board a few times...*make way world for Ah Lian driver! Peikey kept up with.."Dude, we are totally lost MAN..totally..awesome..totally cooooool...totally LOST.."terrible driver, I am...
When we finally made it back home it was around 2 am...i was so stoned that i made a few wrong turns also....had to wake up early to serve in ushering...and then to a good lunch at Hans...
Some pics on Sunday... above...:P
Nice letter to Mountain Wings!! :)
Dear all,
Something very sweet ...very true of a modern mum who takes care of young children..:P quite farnie also..
Mom's Letter to Santa
======================
Dear Santa:
I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned, and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground and figured out howto attach nine patches onto my daughter's girl scout sash with staples and a glue gun.
I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.
Here are my Christmas wishes:
I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache after a day of chasing kids (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't flap in the breeze but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.
I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.
If you're hauling big ticket items this year, I'd like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.
On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along withone potty-trained toddler, two kids who don't fight, and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.
I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting,"Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.
And please don't forget the Playdoh Travel Pack,the hottest stocking stuffer this year for mothers of preschoolers. It comes in three fluorescent colors and is guaranteed to crumble on any carpet making the In-laws' house seem just like mine.
If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.
If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.
It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn'tlook so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in his pajamas at midnight.
Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don't catch cold.
Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.
Yours Always
Mom
PS One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.
~Written by unknown Mom~
Something very sweet ...very true of a modern mum who takes care of young children..:P quite farnie also..
Mom's Letter to Santa
======================
Dear Santa:
I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned, and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground and figured out howto attach nine patches onto my daughter's girl scout sash with staples and a glue gun.
I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.
Here are my Christmas wishes:
I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache after a day of chasing kids (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't flap in the breeze but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.
I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.
If you're hauling big ticket items this year, I'd like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.
On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along withone potty-trained toddler, two kids who don't fight, and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.
I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting,"Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.
And please don't forget the Playdoh Travel Pack,the hottest stocking stuffer this year for mothers of preschoolers. It comes in three fluorescent colors and is guaranteed to crumble on any carpet making the In-laws' house seem just like mine.
If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.
If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.
It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn'tlook so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in his pajamas at midnight.
Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don't catch cold.
Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.
Yours Always
Mom
PS One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.
~Written by unknown Mom~
Friday, December 16, 2005
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Two interviews, an intern and a letter...
This has to be a most interesting week....its only midweek on Wednesday and i have already received so many blessing from God!!
Firstly, received a call on Monday for interview for a position i applied some time back as Customer Service Functional Coordinator...went to the DHL Country Office for an interview at 9 am..was so excited that i could not sleep the night and sprang up at around 615am!!
Been praying and fasting over the last few days for my job search and God indeed is faithful..He answered time and again!! Firstly the interview at DHL was going fine..Diane Hue this sis from our church came to support me from her office and talked to me while i filled up a really long questionaire..to tell you the truth..the reception already felt like home to me as i was in the DHL culture for 6 months...:P
chatted with her and found out about Diane..this sis really works very hard and its such a joy to see her around, being very encouraging to me and urging me not to be so afraid..
The interviewer was pretty amused at me choosing what he mentioned as a "basic job"
He added this comment which i later found rather interesting.."I am afraid that you would get bored with this job..."
Funnily though as i shared about my job scope and what i do in the Regional Office...he was lamenting about RO having Internet phones, cool vending machines and certainly bigger work spaces..i realised how God has pampered me the past 6 months with such luxury in the work place..whereas the Country Office has to make do with much less..He even asked me about the definitions of the reports i generated and to give analysis on the spot!! However, felt that the assurance from God not really there although its fun and interesting..:P
wah..thank God the interview was rather fast and being situated in Tai Seng, i took bus 87 home and lunched before heading back to work..
went back to office and slogged all the reports that were pending since morning...ahahah have an intern with me already..yesh she would be taking over my job..called Marlene Lee from the Netherlands...in the first part i was rather sad that my job would be taken over by interns...but realised that God had actualli planned other "doors" for me and I just need to step forth in faith...!
Hadn't got time to properly sit down with her to train her but already the other intern from Mexico kept coming to look for me to teach him the reports that i am doing...
sigh....feel a sense of "bu4 she3 de2"...
During the Christmas gift exchange today...hahah the person who got my name did not buy anything for me! wahaha he even forgotten that he got my name for the game! aiyoh...when i passed my present for the colleague..having bought a laptop bag for him...he was so happy! I realised all the months of bickering "bu shuang" will really vanish in the moments when u give a gift out of your heart to the person....I think that is what God really desires me to do also..to give out my whole heart to Him, to honour God and to proclaim Jesus out of the outflow of my heart whenever i am....when i saw my colleague, Patrick's face...it broke into a smile which i had not seen for some time le....
I wanted to get him something that he really wanted so went through the pains of getting him a nice pressie...wow...look what a difference that makes when you really want to give something from the heart...!
Went on to rehearse the skit at Cheng's house...had a lot of fun and laughter Li Siong is a real natural..you all should have seen him!! ...yeah when they all realised that the "engagement ring" that i brought for the skit is actually for my engagement all those years ago..wahahh felt that Guang Rong cannot take it..started to ask me a "qian bian" question.."really your engagement ring meh? What happened now?" wahahah...all fell silent when they saw my face..hehe..i told GR this classic line..
"I choose God lor.."
To be able to fully convicted of this decision i made 4 years ago is not without its hurts, tears and struggles and pain...how i struggled..when i looked back at the decision to fully commit my life back to God and go for water baptism on 25th March 2001..my life changed...my engagement did not happen..wahahh was telling CC if "if it really happened, u will not see me in church man!"
How God prompts you in your heart and in these major decisions of your life, career, future spouse, education...the element of seeking God must be so relevant , i cannot imagine if i had went ahead and gone to marry ...him out of my own desires...things would have been so different...Now, I would not have traded God and the joy and love that He gives for anything in the world...:P
Had a fruitful bus ride to Dhoby Ghaut with GR and shared to him this little known fact...hehe..also my aspirations and interview process ...he helped me to to see my career direction and where i wanted to go and i was really grateful for him sorting out my thoughts...:P
Reached home...saw these two envelopes "ON GOVERNMENT SERVICE"
MOE....akan datang!
Shall end off with these lovely verses that kept me feeling very comforted and assured in God once more..
"He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge."
Psalm 91:4
"Because he loves me," says the Lord,
"I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I wil deliver him and honour him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Psalm 91:14-16
Firstly, received a call on Monday for interview for a position i applied some time back as Customer Service Functional Coordinator...went to the DHL Country Office for an interview at 9 am..was so excited that i could not sleep the night and sprang up at around 615am!!
Been praying and fasting over the last few days for my job search and God indeed is faithful..He answered time and again!! Firstly the interview at DHL was going fine..Diane Hue this sis from our church came to support me from her office and talked to me while i filled up a really long questionaire..to tell you the truth..the reception already felt like home to me as i was in the DHL culture for 6 months...:P
chatted with her and found out about Diane..this sis really works very hard and its such a joy to see her around, being very encouraging to me and urging me not to be so afraid..
The interviewer was pretty amused at me choosing what he mentioned as a "basic job"
He added this comment which i later found rather interesting.."I am afraid that you would get bored with this job..."
Funnily though as i shared about my job scope and what i do in the Regional Office...he was lamenting about RO having Internet phones, cool vending machines and certainly bigger work spaces..i realised how God has pampered me the past 6 months with such luxury in the work place..whereas the Country Office has to make do with much less..He even asked me about the definitions of the reports i generated and to give analysis on the spot!! However, felt that the assurance from God not really there although its fun and interesting..:P
wah..thank God the interview was rather fast and being situated in Tai Seng, i took bus 87 home and lunched before heading back to work..
went back to office and slogged all the reports that were pending since morning...ahahah have an intern with me already..yesh she would be taking over my job..called Marlene Lee from the Netherlands...in the first part i was rather sad that my job would be taken over by interns...but realised that God had actualli planned other "doors" for me and I just need to step forth in faith...!
Hadn't got time to properly sit down with her to train her but already the other intern from Mexico kept coming to look for me to teach him the reports that i am doing...
sigh....feel a sense of "bu4 she3 de2"...
During the Christmas gift exchange today...hahah the person who got my name did not buy anything for me! wahaha he even forgotten that he got my name for the game! aiyoh...when i passed my present for the colleague..having bought a laptop bag for him...he was so happy! I realised all the months of bickering "bu shuang" will really vanish in the moments when u give a gift out of your heart to the person....I think that is what God really desires me to do also..to give out my whole heart to Him, to honour God and to proclaim Jesus out of the outflow of my heart whenever i am....when i saw my colleague, Patrick's face...it broke into a smile which i had not seen for some time le....
I wanted to get him something that he really wanted so went through the pains of getting him a nice pressie...wow...look what a difference that makes when you really want to give something from the heart...!
Went on to rehearse the skit at Cheng's house...had a lot of fun and laughter Li Siong is a real natural..you all should have seen him!! ...yeah when they all realised that the "engagement ring" that i brought for the skit is actually for my engagement all those years ago..wahahh felt that Guang Rong cannot take it..started to ask me a "qian bian" question.."really your engagement ring meh? What happened now?" wahahah...all fell silent when they saw my face..hehe..i told GR this classic line..
"I choose God lor.."
To be able to fully convicted of this decision i made 4 years ago is not without its hurts, tears and struggles and pain...how i struggled..when i looked back at the decision to fully commit my life back to God and go for water baptism on 25th March 2001..my life changed...my engagement did not happen..wahahh was telling CC if "if it really happened, u will not see me in church man!"
How God prompts you in your heart and in these major decisions of your life, career, future spouse, education...the element of seeking God must be so relevant , i cannot imagine if i had went ahead and gone to marry ...him out of my own desires...things would have been so different...Now, I would not have traded God and the joy and love that He gives for anything in the world...:P
Had a fruitful bus ride to Dhoby Ghaut with GR and shared to him this little known fact...hehe..also my aspirations and interview process ...he helped me to to see my career direction and where i wanted to go and i was really grateful for him sorting out my thoughts...:P
Reached home...saw these two envelopes "ON GOVERNMENT SERVICE"
MOE....akan datang!
Shall end off with these lovely verses that kept me feeling very comforted and assured in God once more..
"He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge."
Psalm 91:4
"Because he loves me," says the Lord,
"I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I wil deliver him and honour him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Psalm 91:14-16
Monday, December 12, 2005
When doors are open, we are to be sensative to the Holy Spirit leading ..
Received a call from DHL Country Office...
14th Dec 2005 Wednesday 9 AM
Customer Service Functional Coordinator..
Coordinate events and planning lei..i like this kinda job also lah but then kids lei? my music path lei?
Holy Spirit, lead and guide me bah...I am lost without You ..dun let my own voice lead but by Your gentle prompting and leading..."teach me to walk in Your ways so that I may gain a heart of wisdom"....:P
Pray fast, pray , pause , listen, pray, fast, pause listen...
14th Dec 2005 Wednesday 9 AM
Customer Service Functional Coordinator..
Coordinate events and planning lei..i like this kinda job also lah but then kids lei? my music path lei?
Holy Spirit, lead and guide me bah...I am lost without You ..dun let my own voice lead but by Your gentle prompting and leading..."teach me to walk in Your ways so that I may gain a heart of wisdom"....:P
Pray fast, pray , pause , listen, pray, fast, pause listen...
Miss you already! :)
On Saturday, me and CC went to the airport to fetch David Lee back from Hope Santiago, Chile,
CC was having shepherding so i sat some few tables away to read "Chronicles of Narnia". In the midst of reading, could not help but noticing this really sweet "ang moh" table beside me..cos there were a couple with a new born baby and their friends sitting around the sofas at Pacific Coffee.
As i sat there observing them, they were just so happy to be with each other's presence, the couple and their friends who surrounded them..Despite the baby's brawling for attention, I really witnessed a heartwarming scene of catching up, hugging , and simply a bunch of good friends really appreciative of the moments....
When it was finally time for the friends to leave the couple, they hugged and kissed...and one last friend turned her back from them to leave...barely a few steps away..she turned back her head and shouted "I miss you already!!!..."It was just a few moments ago, she was just talking to them....and her heart already desires to be with her friends..
Moments.. How much do we take captive of every moment we have? with our parents? with our friends, even ppl whom we want to share with...
was helpin my mum to do her nails, she wants to board the plane for Taiwan today in style! :P
there..was just this moment, she turned and asked me about commitment to church,...there , that was a moment.....i immediately asked her if she believed in God and she said "No"..i was shocked..given my knowledge of her Buddhism roots...then i popped this again
"then all these years, if you have been praying to Buddha and you dun believe in the "gods" then who are you praying to?"
"I have been following this since i am a little girl..dun ask me so many questions la.."
Then the phone rang and it was a call for her...that's it..the moment slipped by before you can say "wah.." think she super smart, sensing that i want to talk to her more, she turned on the TV and started commenting on the shows....
then came the grim procedure of passing me all their "assets" all the insurance documents and papers...so scary..i assured them, my parents, i will pray for them...they would be safe...dun worry..
This morning, woke up super early around 5 plus AM to send them to the airport for their trip to Taiwan... had a good time talking to my dad about his colleague, my sisters on how they felt about the trip...then it was time to say goodbye at the departure gate...
I hugged each and everyone of them and turned to leave....wah....did not take leave cos i was going to serve in the Christmas services and also wanted to avail myself in case of any interviews....
As i walked away towards the carpark, my heart was shouting ..."I MISS YOU ALL ALREADY!!"
Funny though..even though its only for a week....its just different without your family around you....aiyah..should have echoed this thought to them before they board the plane...typical Asian behaviour where you hide your emotions? :P
Moments....take captive of every moment you have with God and with your loved ones...:)
CC was having shepherding so i sat some few tables away to read "Chronicles of Narnia". In the midst of reading, could not help but noticing this really sweet "ang moh" table beside me..cos there were a couple with a new born baby and their friends sitting around the sofas at Pacific Coffee.
As i sat there observing them, they were just so happy to be with each other's presence, the couple and their friends who surrounded them..Despite the baby's brawling for attention, I really witnessed a heartwarming scene of catching up, hugging , and simply a bunch of good friends really appreciative of the moments....
When it was finally time for the friends to leave the couple, they hugged and kissed...and one last friend turned her back from them to leave...barely a few steps away..she turned back her head and shouted "I miss you already!!!..."It was just a few moments ago, she was just talking to them....and her heart already desires to be with her friends..
Moments.. How much do we take captive of every moment we have? with our parents? with our friends, even ppl whom we want to share with...
was helpin my mum to do her nails, she wants to board the plane for Taiwan today in style! :P
there..was just this moment, she turned and asked me about commitment to church,...there , that was a moment.....i immediately asked her if she believed in God and she said "No"..i was shocked..given my knowledge of her Buddhism roots...then i popped this again
"then all these years, if you have been praying to Buddha and you dun believe in the "gods" then who are you praying to?"
"I have been following this since i am a little girl..dun ask me so many questions la.."
Then the phone rang and it was a call for her...that's it..the moment slipped by before you can say "wah.." think she super smart, sensing that i want to talk to her more, she turned on the TV and started commenting on the shows....
then came the grim procedure of passing me all their "assets" all the insurance documents and papers...so scary..i assured them, my parents, i will pray for them...they would be safe...dun worry..
This morning, woke up super early around 5 plus AM to send them to the airport for their trip to Taiwan... had a good time talking to my dad about his colleague, my sisters on how they felt about the trip...then it was time to say goodbye at the departure gate...
I hugged each and everyone of them and turned to leave....wah....did not take leave cos i was going to serve in the Christmas services and also wanted to avail myself in case of any interviews....
As i walked away towards the carpark, my heart was shouting ..."I MISS YOU ALL ALREADY!!"
Funny though..even though its only for a week....its just different without your family around you....aiyah..should have echoed this thought to them before they board the plane...typical Asian behaviour where you hide your emotions? :P
Moments....take captive of every moment you have with God and with your loved ones...:)
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