A new day.

MOVED

2009-10-27T23:29:00.000-07:00

Hihi, I have moved to http://carriechalk.livejournal.com/

My Planet I

2008-03-16T05:29:00.000-07:00

Work has started for almost a month now and I am missing all at HCJB dearly. I am still not used to not seeing ang-mohs sauntering up and down like they used to do around me and they are splendidly incredible people. I told myself I have to go back to do that work again. My dream....

Once again... Presenting to you 'Planet I'. Planet I is my youth cg and we have come a long way together. This is our Complete Family Photo.

The uniqueness of it.

The Hollies

2008-02-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

The Hollies sang a song titled Carrie-anne, released in the year 1967. Lyrics by Clarke, Nash, Hicks.

Oh, so interesting!

Icreate

2008-02-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

It is Icreate day today, and Icreated a worship team birthdates card!
Happy.

Nad's pirately 21st!

2008-02-09T01:37:00.000-08:00

Last Day

2008-02-01T23:46:00.000-08:00

1 Feb, my last day at HCJB! I wasent exactly happy that it has come to an end, because it is the best place to have my internship at and this place has a team of the greatest people around. It almost felt like only yesterday that I stepped into this place to be interviewed by Jeff and James. It was like only yesterday that I met Derek for the first time and the office was filled with people chatting and making coffee. The office has been through much during the time I was with them because of management changes and Jeff was deeply apologetic I had to witness the ugly side of the mission. If I could pick a better time to come in, it'd still be between sept 17 to 1 feb. They were all kinda sad I'm leaving but I reassured them I'll be back. I will go on to work and earn loads of money before I pursue my passion. Haha that's what they always say right? Earn money first, pursue passion later. This picture was taken shortly after we had our reunion lunch in the office. They baked me a huge brownie chocolate cake, and Tang went all the way to order and buy the ever so famour telok ayer "BAK CHANG" and "BOBO-CHACHA" which of course got everyone excited since these are local food and the ang mohs love it. Not only am I proud of pioneering the first ever pod-cast for HCJB Asia Pacific, I am so very grateful for everything I've lerant and exeperienced there. I'm so glad God placed me here, being here is a miracle in itself.

The Beatles

2008-01-16T23:15:00.000-08:00

"Lennon's spirit is the free bird 'len's' flying all around the images of his life...floating and cruising in and out of his memories with the Beatles. And we Beatles fans ride along his wings as we musically drift in space with him. A great song, and a great video. Long live the Beatles!"

I was told by many that some of the songs the Beatles created were recorded in cassettes and after the author passed away, the houses got broken into and people stole they stuff and found songs they wrote that were never released. People took it, got the rest of the living Beatles to play it and mix it raw and there came great music even after death. I say, the songs and music created in the 60s, 70s,80s are good music.

I want to listen to The Beatles.

It's Overwhelming

2008-01-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

The More I Seek You Written by Zach Neese

The more I seek You
The more I find You
The more I find You
The more I love You

I want to sit at Your feet
Drink from the cup in Your hand
Lay back against You and breathe
Feel Your heartbeat
This love is so deep
It's more than I can stand
I melt in Your peace
It's overwhelming

Brokenness

2008-01-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

Have you ever felt so crushed it seemed like someone stabbed his hand right into your heart without consent and gave your weak frail heart a tight ruthless squeeze? I went through that dip each time I have a close enough encounter with him. Despite my constant resistance to forbid myself such brutal pattern each time I came close to this person, I am almost always left defeated and breathless from that excruciating painful process. And from there, I took time to recover again, before the next time I could come close enough for that invisible hand to throw me into the plunge again.

Those cycles went on for two years now… perhaps 1 ½ year after our episode came to some sort of an end… I went from hoping, to giving up, to picking up those broken pieces and hoping again and hang on until I found the best way to deal with the trauma- which is to surrender. Surrendering to a God who only has plans to prosper me and not to harm me, a God who knows the deepest issues that cuts my heart, the God who understands those pains and treat them not like child’s play. As much as those pains still continued living each time I go through the horror of another plunge of dismay, my God picks me up and from there I’d draw closer in, discovering His amazing powers of understanding and comfort.

When no one knows the intensity of pain and tears that still lingered on, only God and I knew.

If I could choose, I wouldn’t want to get rid of these experiences or find an instant solution to temporarily cover up the cause of this trauma. I’d like it to be as it is originally planned to be. If I were to suffer this plunge so many times, then I willingly go through it. For it is during times like that I found God to be so real, I found my faith strengthened again and I found myself more precious to God. Each time I stare out the window in search for an antidote to this overwhelming dismay, He never fails to show up and promises me over and over again that it’ll all one day unfold into something so beautiful. (He promises that stars and sparkles will come together with it too. Haha!)

I am waiting to see, His beautiful plan for me unfold before my eyes. I am certain they’ll sparkle as they unfold, I’m certain they’d be more stunning than what I can imagine it to be.

In this time of waiting, my brokenness persists. But how many knew that brokenness is the key of having God come so mind-blowing close to you?

Our Genesis

2007-12-31T01:31:00.000-08:00

From Feb 2007, which marks our humble beginning, till Dec 2007

I remembered putting up a blog post, talking about taking pictures that represent me. That way, my pictures automatically tell a story about me and that is what makes it different from other random photos. And when I look through all the photos I took with my Cg and the times we've been through and to many places together, I am rather certain they are what is close to my heart. My Photo submission are all pictures of my cell group and they represent me, they are a part of me.

This very special cell group started in February 2007 and we've been through tough times during the reconstruction of YF. We stuck together and got involved in each other's life. People from different background, and diverse (trust me, extremely diverse) character and up-bringing came together for Bible study, for fun, for everything under the sun we can think of doing together.

There were times certain individuals wanted to stop coming, there were times certain individuals got better programs on their own than to come meet together as a cell group. There were times where having new characters in the cell group was a big no because nobody wanted to open up or be hospitable enough to allow someone new in. There were times where growing in numbers and spiritual maturity was a big question-mark.

I am extremely proud to say, though we are not a perfect group of people, we have a perfect God and we are a group that can testify the greatness of God.

Together, we watched and experienced first-hand how God transformed individual lives using any random people in the cell group. God did something radical and messed us all up. From the oldest to the youngest, we all went through the process of ripening, maturing, reinforcing, unravelling, perfecting.

We close the year 2007 not as our end but as our beginning, this is our Genesis. We are undertaking a bizarre boulevard of our God's master plan for us in 2008.

Wedding bells are ringing... (again)

2007-11-24T02:37:00.000-08:00

All in blue are my GB seniorssssss muahahaha

These are all GB peers of year 2000 (except for the bride) She's our senior and now a GB Captain of 28th coy Junior girls and we've come back to serve alongside her

The two brides wannabes and Rev Goh was asking who's gonna get married next? We ALL looked at JANICE CHEE XINYIN

We love to be TOGETHER

Happily ever after

Farewell

2007-11-22T02:14:00.000-08:00

It is Thanks giving Day! It is also the day Derek and Glenda are leaving for Australia - SUNSHINE COAST!

We sent them to the Airport and took loads of pictures.. John held one camera and I held another. and we went snap snap snap

Dinner by the River

2007-11-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Pior to Derek and Glenda leaving for Australia in 3 days, John offered to bring us all out for dinner. Of course the dinner treat was for Derek and Glenda, and as you can guess, the brilliant me managed to cleverly trick him into treating me as well. Ah ha!

I thought it would be an emotional dinner, but it turned out really awesome seeing how Derek and Glenda got to eat their favorite Aussie fish and chips and catch the last Christmas lightnings in town.

They've come to love Singapore though they're still trying to adapt since the past two years. I am really glad they are returning home to their parents and grand children. Indeed, there's nothing to be sad about when they get to do something they really love.

A group photo after dinner ended.. We were eating at Boat Quay and it was John's treat.. One amazing fact to note.. Ang Moh's eyes usually change to another color when they take pictures with the flash at night. John's eye is light blue to grey in color, with the orangy flash from the camera, he always turned out having red eyes in photos taken at night.. ahahaha this is one problem Asians don't face eh

Our attempt at "sad face" at the dinner table

We walked along the river and came to the Merlion.. I introduced our Merlion as the 'PUKING merlion" they never heard anyone say it before but came to realise how true it was..

Now it's Derek's turn to treat us all to Starbucks!

My yummy Java chip.. Derek keeps taking photos of John and I.. I think they want to capture as much of us so they don't forget us when they get back heh

John wants to take a "nose-up" shot of Derek and Glenda.. How horrible of him but they were so spontaneous

The poser.. haha

My turn to pose.. John was really amazed when he sees Asians taking photos with the "twist".. He reckons that is what the Japanese does but in fact most Asians does that. We did that throughout and each time we do it, the three ang mohs will be so delighted! How interesting...

This photo was taken by Derek when he was walking in front of us and he took it with his back facing us so he wasn't looking. We were all walking at the same pace to ensure this photo turned out really awesome!

GB Juniors

2007-11-10T20:50:00.000-08:00

This is the day we visited the Old folks at a Old folks block. Ah ha I didn't quite get where the exact location was because three huge buses brought us there. I went back as a helper to ensure the little girls don't go crazy or run to places they are not supposed to be. As cute as they may seem, they are as mischievous as... eh as.... as monkeys or monsters? They once grab the rubber band off my pony tail and hopped onto me so that I could piggy back them and as they did that they started ripping hair pins off my hair.. It was scary.. yea.. yes..

They are as cute as little hamsters though.. my beloved friends are there too..

Two very important people in my life, ranked number 1 and 2 (they will kill me if I don't rank them 1 and 2) ah kidding.. these are friends I will keep till old age.. I enjoy serving in the same ministry as them because everything seemed so much more enjoyable.. It's a HUGE pity that we're all in different churches.. Well, that just goes to show these two are still friends I will love to keep till old age even though I met new and great friends while we were all apart doing our own stuff.. Love them so much..

We took the chance to take many many photos before the visitation began!

There are people who refused to take photos...

and this is how they'll react...

There are also those who are so eager to get their photos taken, they'd do anything for the camera...

There're those that're forced to take photos with us...

Finally nice group photos taken...

...and rounding up the event...

They are all little darlings...

Shout out! Girls from 28th Junior Company Girls' Brigade Singapore! =D

My work place

2007-11-05T23:55:00.000-08:00

This is me in the Production Studio

This is Glenda and me

This is me with Derek

Derek is my Program Director and he supervises me in my work. Derek and Glenda are going back to Australia and never coming back. Much as I am reluctant for them to leave, I will always remember their kindness and love!

Brina and Carrie Fun Day

2007-10-31T00:36:00.001-07:00

We went to watch THE GAME PLAN and I love that show!

And then we attempted to catch the moon that's hanging on the left side of us.

The Doulos Missionaries

2007-10-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Talking to the Doulos Missionaries, Kim Chye and Jenny, has moved me so much. Two years on board the ship has shown them so many miracles and faith filled moments. The ship has altogether 52 nationalities and over 300 Christians working together. They go from places like Korea to Indonesia and what not. When asked about the most memorable moments, Jenny shared that it was when they visited Indonesia on the 1st year anniversary of Tsunami. She spoke to the fishermen and they told her life was really hard. The houses by the beach that was destroyed by the catastrophe a year ago was still evident.

This couple had so much faith and steadfastness in God. They shared so deep and so much. Kim Chye was frank about his awkwardness at meeting new people, and having to live with 300 other people from 52 different countries was a big challenge to him. As for Jenny, her trip did not go well from the start. She suffered from sever sea sickness and had to go through the whole routine like any other despite her sickness. She pressed on and there she was, still on board the ship for two years.

The miracle moments they witnessed was when they stopped at some port (forgot which ones) and the villagers came up to the doulos people for them to pray for their sick children. Instantly, they got healed and more and more were healed when they all started to pray.

At a muslim state they went to, they doubted that many would visit the ship’s library but as they tabulated, there were 30,000 people on board the ship each day to visit.

At Taiwan when there was a Typhoon, the ship was forced to leave the new harbor. Knowing that it was dangerous to go out to the open sea in such bad weather, the captain got the whole ship to pray and the weather instantly turned good.

They testified that God had watched the duolos by providing good weather always in the past two years they were on board.

After being hit by a tiny boat, the doulos sailed for nine days before reaching a port in another country. It was after they were at the port that they realized there was a huge hole at the back of the ship. The miraculous thing was, no water went in at all for the nine days. The people on board were not endangered at all.

Are there any pirate experiences? Nope, not at all. Haha nevertheless the ship did their precautions by setting up gigantic nets at the back of the ship so that pirates could not climb onboard to rob them.

Kim Chye and Jenny encouraged me to go onboard the duolos for two months to join the media team. They want me to experience living with 52 nationalities of people and all followers of God serving on the ship and going to different countries is an eye-opener. After hearing their story, my heart was so stirred to go. But I fear the water and the ocean. I guess I will need more courage and faith. We’ll see… =)

I love my job. Each interview I do and each new person I meet is a time that I get encouraged and blessed again.

The Fun we had!

2007-10-27T01:36:00.000-07:00

Fire by the waters pictures out!

http://web.mac.com/shoshiii/FireByTheWaters/

Sneak-Peak// Crazy Moments

Interviews lined up

2007-10-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

October 24, 2007 – Youth Director of Harvester Assembly of God
Topic on YOUTH today
@ Upper Thomson Church office (Field Interview)

October 26, 2007 – Rev James Singh
Topic on Power of Prayer
@ HCJB Production Studio (Studio Interview)

October 29, 2007 – Doulos Missionaries
Topic on Missionary work on board the Doulous ship for 2years
@ Tampines (Field Interview)

Highlight: They have been on board the ancient Doulous Ship (floating bookshop) for two years doing missionary work around the world- wherever the ship goes to. I am so excited to hear their adventures! I'm so gonna ask about pirate experiences =p

Danny and Huiping’s wedding

2007-10-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

October 13, 2007, Danny is FINALLY married!!!

Oh what a joyous occasion both for Danny and Huiping and us! Many people wouldn’t have denied that Danny is somebody who has invested and impacted many lives. Somebody who believes so much in people, Danny has a reckless faith for people and similarly he invests relentlessly in the lives of many.

He is the father to the fatherless and the reason why people are able to run after their dreams.

He is a father to me, and the reason why I can fulfil my dream of becoming a Mission Radio Journalist.

To many great years ahead with Huiping! Cheers!

P.s: Huiping is the best ever wife for Danny! *winks*

A day of celebration for us!

Eh, where is the photo of the bride and groom? Heh... beats me...

HCJB Global - What we do?

2007-10-18T12:21:00.000-07:00

My Radio Journey

2007-10-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

Having worked with HCJB for more than a month now, I must say I am very fortunate to be able to intern here. The work I do here comprises having to get interviewees who are usually pastors, youth workers, people generally associated with the topic. I have to produce Christian programmes that will be part of the 8pm time belt on 105.1FM.

I am provided my own work station, sound editing software, two beautiful and fully equipped production studios, a Program Director who guides me in the right direction, who imparts to me even more skills regarding radio production. And not to forget, a whole bunch of Christian Missionaries here, that has became great colleagues of mine.

What I love best about my job is going to where people are and getting their voices, opinions, life experiences heard.

Though this station can’t beat mediacorp stations that most Singaporeans listen to, I know that every detail of what is to be broadcast serves as something that’ll be effecting a response on the people in witnessing how God has changed and impacted so many lives. I am bringing remarkable life stories and experiences. I am showcasing the Singapore Heartbeat (which is the name of my programme)!

I thank God that such delightful and purposeful experience could take place at such a timely moment. I’ll never forget the people I’ve met and spoke to.

The first project I started on was visiting the local Christian Half-way house, Breakthrough Missions, that helps drug offenders to experience a transformed life in Jesus. I must surely say that the testimonies these ex-drug offenders shared was something that really touched my heart. Through their story, I saw how God worked in lives we thought were worthless. How God used these lives to be even more impactful and useful than a University Graduate can. I witnessed the faithfulness and gratefulness these ex-drug offenders have and how they always placed the words “Thanks be to God” on their lips. They taught me that our God is one that picks up the rejected and dejected, and turns them into brand new pieces of gold. In God’s eyes, these drug offenders are as lovely and as precious as a sweet is to a child. And their attitude towards things and God are far more worthy to be praised than us (spoilt-brats), I would say.

I am looking forward to meeting more people and hearing more stories.

October 2007, Youth Outing

2007-10-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

My best birthday gift

2007-09-14T19:14:00.000-07:00

is my grade for Photojournalism. I scored an ADistinction!!! Never gotten a distinction in my entire three years in Mass Comm and this comes as my best birthday gift on my birthday. Well, that is the joy of having results released on my birthday but of course if results were bad then it'd have been a bad birthday.

My GPA hit a 3.333333 ha thank God =)

My CG had been great models for me especially Sandy Han whose facial expressions were fabulous and real. I submitted 4 out of 5 photos of her. My CG played an important role when i went snapping and snapping to a point where i am no longer visible to them. I am like a paparazzi and they allowed me to shoot however and whenever I wanted. Photojournalism wasn't like a module to me, it was like a discovery of many things and places I've never been before. =D

Award winning photos coming up real soon!
(I have to digitize my negatives before I can load them up the PC and they cost money to be digitize. You are most welcome to donate to the Care-for-Carrie FUND!)

my testimony

2007-09-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Having read some blogs that contains much content about how great God is, I am somehow inspired to write mine too. Not sure how I can put it down in words but I’m still gonna try! =)

God’s goodness

God has blessed me in many areas of my life including the friends I get to meet, people who showed me how to live a set apart life by example and the institutes I get into and experiences I have. Yet there are still times I get overly ungrateful because I tend to forget and get on with upcoming matters I have to deal with.

Going on to the next stage of my life, which is starting my internship and graduating after that, I am filled with both anticipation and excitement. I am having a long period of rest until September 17th, to reflect and recharge. Good as I think things are now, I know that when it all starts again, it is time I have to push through challenges that will come my way. I am not afraid of that, because one has to set her mind ready for these things that are inevitable. These are learning processes as well and new opportunities we can have to experience God.

I entered Polytechnic a young girl filled with passion and energy. Passion for what I am about to study and passion for the ministry of God. Got into much trouble, doing things I am not supposed to do or saying things I am not supposed to say. Yet through all these moments , which when I think of it now makes me want to dig a hole to hide in, I learnt much and I wouldn’t want to change any bad or good things that has happened before. They all serve to make me learn something and help me grow.

Through the last seasons of my life in school, there was a long period of restrain for ministry. My mind was automatically directed to only think about the practicalities of life, what I must do to achieve what so that when I get to which age I will be able to provide for myself… these issues got me harden and ready to conquer the world on my own. My fears were that I might not succeed, I might not be able to be on my own, I might not be well supported enough. They over clouded me and I could not see the calmness and peacefulness of what God is all about. During that season, church became a burden, Christ became a fantasy. All the good experiences I had with God were but past and I was naive and young. Those were the thoughts and it still kind of scared me.

There are many things people can reason about God being unreal. There are many things Christians can argue about, using both historic facts and science, to explain the realness of God. Yet I won’t want to be caught in such an argument because my God does not need me to prove the world wrong for Him. I believe it is a matter of how individuals want to look at things.

During that time when I thought about how Christianity and God were but an unreal fantasy, I sort of finally understand how some of my friends felt when you tried to push Christianity to them. And so through that, I have learnt how to approach these friends of mine with what I hold so dear in my heart. I share my experiences and values with them and I allow them to see God through me. I don’t have to push God to them, if ever they want to know more about God, they know who to find.

I wouldn’t think that God would be upset with me thinking that He was unreal. It is just how humans think sometimes when circumstances overwhelm us. I believe He saw it coming too and my cool calm God would just sit and watch me through that season, knowing and trusting that I will pick myself up and find Him again with help available 24/7.

I picked myself up, allowed myself be among people who still believe, I placed myself among people who are still living a sold-out life for God despite them being placed in the workforce already. I allowed myself to listen to sermons and messages preached and to read more books. All these served as a reminder for me and the reality of God were slowly pumped into me again. Not all at one shot, there were times where I still felt far from Him, but I know it won’t remain like that for long. I am not ashamed to admit these, because I knew the very first thing I had to do was to come to terms with it. There is nothing wrong about it because it is only human to err.

The goodness and faithfulness of God has allowed me to find my way back, but this time I carry with me a good perspective of both the practicalities of life and my relationship with Christ.

A friend is the hope of the heart ...

2007-09-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

" A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away."

Selene and Phoebe are two great friends I have met with monstrous ability to make me laugh and help me feel better in school. We've been through countless radio classes together and these pictures are taken in year 2 radio production class where we were practicing for our final radio test. They each have awesome radio personalities and I know they will do well in life next time. We are going on separate ways for internship, only Phoebe and I are continuing with Radio broadcasting, and Selene will be heading for a bright future in the Events company! And of course her dream to backpack around the world with a handsome boy to also study psychology with so she can become even more psycho. Two of my bestest friends whom I feel so blessed to have, I say God bless you!

Precious moments

2007-08-21T00:11:00.000-07:00

This is my CG on a trip to McRitchie where we attempt to hike under the stars even though we Singaporeans can't see them at night. This is the first few outings we had since we first merge.

your Gift, and your Giving

2007-08-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

Let me start with a story.

(Note: one talent is worth more than a thousand dollars)

"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Now this is the story of the talents and cruel as it might seem, I used to think that I would have been like the servant with the one talent because I would not want to risk losing the talent that was given to me in investments or business as I do not want to lose my master's money. When the story comes to tell of how the Master appreciates the servants who made more money out of what was given them, I began to see this story in a different light.

Likewise, God has given us many gifts and talents, and in relation to this story, God wants us to multiply what we have to double-fold and more. What we may have may not just be thousands of dollars, let us think of what our giftings are?

Your gift is the one thing you do well because it is second nature to you.
It is something that others notice and celebrate what you do, even though it may seem like nothing to you. That's your gift.

Some have the gift of cooking, cleaning, hospitality, organization, decoration, designing, investing, working with children - you name it - not everyone does it well.

From the first story, we learnt to use our giftings and talents.

In Proverbs 18:16
A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.

We are told that our gifts make room for us. In other words, your gift when set before those who need what you have to offer, opens the doos to favors and blessings.

God is a wise investor.
What is your gift? What are you good at? Be fruitful and use it for God's glory.

And that was my prayer today.

References taken from the author Michelle McKinney Hammond and Bible verses from Biblegateway.com - New International Version

friendship day

2007-08-16T19:45:00.000-07:00

cherie: "gaf" = gave

carrie: Jeff gave naf a bath but stef came into the path. The chef cooked some mash but naf refused and left.

cherie: Jaff gaf naf a baf but staf came into the paff. The chaf cooked some mash but naf refused and luff.

liting: laughs.

Standing for something, falling for nothing

2007-08-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

Because we've been taught that the person who doesn't stand for something for fall for anything.

He who doubts is like a wave of sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:6-8

2007-08-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

I was sufing the net looking for shih tzu puppies for adoption. Seems like everybody wants to sell them at prices I cannot afford. Oh, is it too much to ask for a pup as a birthday gift? heh.

serialmarathon

2007-08-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

Spot the girl!

KL Emerge conference

2007-08-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

I will be in KL from 28th to 30th for KL emerge conference by CHC. Wee! A good trip to embark on after exams!

conversation

2007-08-13T16:51:00.001-07:00

"I am blessed and highly favoured!"

"Who told you that?"

"God!"

currently reading...

2007-08-13T00:04:00.000-07:00

A McKinney Hammond book that teaches you how to be highly favoured and blessed. Practical writing, however can get boring through her many examples to emphasis a point. Great titles and headers given for each topic but the contents doesn't seem to follow its brilliant promising titles. For a new Christian, it is a book that will help inform and teach. For an older christian, it may be a book that refreshes what you already know.

2007-08-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

At the end of TVjourn class, we took our class photo at the preview theatre. Crazy mates, crazy news bulletins and crazy studio shows. I'll miss them all! Especially marrisa, lunatic stef, joachim the one and only male in our team, cherie the camera woman with carrie (haha)and our hamster like presenter phoebe pong lilin and not forgetting QH too. Oh, and steve chia.. I guess we'll see you on prime time every morning!

2007-08-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

At the end of photojourn, I took individual shots of these people who are close to my heart. I developed them and framed them. This is my gift of love!

2007-07-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

This is little caleb the cg adores and the reason why I teach

My great teacher ian sensei

Superstar to be sylvia

mega monster jing siang (this smart boy loves building roborts)

beautiful cherie

supermodel sandy

great photographer valerie

mad scientist LJ

rock star eugene

my joy.

2007-07-09T17:14:00.001-07:00

My CG has a blog now!! SO awesome, take a look at our pictures!

http://perfectluv.multiply.com

A Love Message

2007-06-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

HE LOVES ME . . . LOVES ME NOT
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” 1 John 2:15

Did you ever try to figure out whether or not someone you loved, loved you in return? Who knows when, but a long time ago some romantic had the idea that you could solve the dilemma by pulling petals off of a daisy. Remember how it works? “She loves me, she loves me not . . .” When you got to the last petal, you’d have it figured out. And, the beauty of it was, if you didn’t like the outcome, you could grab another flower and start over!
Sometimes I wonder if that’s how God feels about our love for Him. We know from Scripture that God’s love toward us is faithful, undaunted, and unchanging (Lamentations 3:22-23). But, quite frankly, our love for Him is often fickle and erratic. One day it’s “we love Him,” and a couple of days later it looks like “we love him not.” And while we would never say it that way, sometimes that’s really what it is! One day we resonate with intimacy toward God, and the next, we feel distant and disconnected.
I suspect that part of the problem is our understanding of the word love. We use the same English word to speak about so many things. I could say, “I love the Chicago Cubs; I love deep-dish pizza; I love the family dog; and I love my wife” using the same word for all, but meaning dramatically different things. Then we take that same word and say, “I love God.” No wonder the meaning gets lost!
That’s why I’m thankful for the writings of the apostle John. He moves the discussion about our love for God from the realm of our fickle feelings to tangible, practical ways that we can express our love to God regardless of how we feel. John tells us that God feels loved by us when we surrender to Him and obey (1 John 5:3). He also tells us that loving God is expressed to Him by loving our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 4:21). And in today’s verse we see that our love for God is also proven when we choose to love God more than the world! “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
So, thankfully, our love for God doesn’t need to rise and fall on how we feel on a given day. Loving Him is about our choice to put Him first and care about the things He cares about! And that is something we can do on a regular basis regardless.
If you’ve been caught in a “petal-pulling” love relationship with Jesus, set yourself free by choosing to express your love to Him in concrete ways every day. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the good feelings follow your good choices!
Taken from http://rbc.net/bible_study/strength_for_the_journey/daily/54724.aspx

2007-06-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

I have a story to tell.

One fine day, channel newsasia broadcaster Steven Chia was driving out of mediacorp.

A paparazzi came along and took a picture of his students in his car, one of which looks like a celebrity (ahahahahaha)

The truth was, we all went to mediacorp and steven chia gave us all a ride out to the main road in his super dooper old school mercs where we were all packed like sandwiches.

It was a fun ride. =)

2007-06-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

Hypocrisy happening all around. God keep me sane.

photomotion

2007-06-14T01:22:00.000-07:00

"Prostitutes of Bombay" by Mary Ellen Mark (photographer) gave me another reason why I should be grateful. These young girls were sold by their family or kidnapped by strangers to street brothels in Bombay. Pictures of them were mostly confident smiles and great charisma, an unusual sight to see when you read of their plight. Looking through these pictures, I found out that those confident smiles were possible because they had accepted their fate and found no better way of making money to survive. To some of them, it is like living "the" life compared to being stuck to their village. Some girls go all out to make money, some hang on to every bit of purity and self worth they can find. How can we not be grateful about what we are doing here? Going through school and all, freedom and shopping, I do believe if those Bombay girls were given a choice, they'd rather have our life. How many of us really are grateful for it?

The number one killer that never fails to tear people down is comparison. We compare none stop about every other thing. Who is the most popular, who is the smartest and who has got the best job, who can do better than who.. The list goes on and on... The fact is, if we go on comparing like that, we can never stop and be thankful for who we already are and already have. There's bound to be someone that is gonna be more beautiful, and there will be someone that is smarter. All in all, to me it all boils down to how we think about ourselves and our circumstances. I must stress again, it is a matter of perspective, but learning to love yourself is important too.

Life is too short for comparing, and it never ends. Nobody truly wins until we learn to love ourselves and when we are able to see ourselves in a better light, we become the winner in our own eyes despite our imperfections. And that is what I call the most beautiful.

Tough as it may be, I am glad I have found what keeps me sane here. And I hope for those whom I love and care for will find what will keep them sane as well.

Wayne told me today that my pictures lack a style and I have got to find my own style. A different angle of taking pictures, zooming right into something and "feeling" it. He told me I'd be surprise when I am able to finalise my series of photos and see "carrie" in everyone of it. That means having something that represents "me" in every of my picture.

I gave alot of thought to what he said, and I thought so hard my head hurts now. I guess it is not staging for a picture, rather taking whatever i feel stronger for. I am not clear of what I want, and he says that's ok because I will need to be "feeling" it. I got a new adrenaline rush to take the next roll of film, but I hope this time I can find what really represents me.

What represents me? ... my feelings about something?

I'll figure out.. =)

Jounalism day

2007-05-15T02:10:00.000-07:00

I'm in class now and Im blogging ha. hellloooooo(that was from cherie)

I'm going into the dark (duck) room with phoebe tomorrow before our photojourn class to develop our extra negatives! Yea but before that we are going to chinatown to get our last shots done before we finish the entire film. Carrying my SLR camera around with me wherever I go for the past weeks has got me abit irritated. It seems to be getting heavier and heavier and it seems like the places we can go in Singapore to take pictures are getting fewer and FEWER.

I am having EIGHT hours of Journalism class today. Four hours for Radio Journalism, which I always enjoy because more than half the gang of people that went to chiang mai were there to crack lame jokes and we are all so entertained. Another four hours on TV Journalism. Yap they repeat almost the same things like in script writing, spell out 1 to 9 and how to write a script, how to read like the news caster. How to address people and DO NOT use abbreviations etc.

I like what I do.

It's a new day. Shades of Grey turn to Color.

2007-05-08T10:50:00.001-07:00

It's a day of significance to me.

And I crowned this a song of significance for this day of significance which made all the significance seem significant.

Beauty for ashes, joy for my pain
You've given me wings to fly again
Strengh for today, a dance for my sorrows
Because of you, because of you.

Shades of grey turn to colour
Dark of night breaks to day.
It's a new day, it's a new day
Shadows rise at the glory of the son.
It's a new day, it's a new day
The past has gone and life has just begun

Hope for my future,My life's made brand new
Because of you, because of you

Chains of fear turn to freedom
Silence breaks into praise,
It's a new day, it's a new day,
It's a new day,
since you came my way

Shades of grey turn to colour
Dark of night breaks to day.
Chains of fear turn to freedom
Silence breaks into praise.

A song by Hillsong London- It's A New Day.

2007-05-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

first day in Chiang Mai- on our mini van to the university!

On the way up the never ending stairs to the temple, these kids dressed in tribal costumes are so adorable!

A visit to the Chiang Mai wet market

After our night market visit we were practically too lazy to walk back to our guesthouse we all sqeezed into a "song diao

Waiting for our turn to do our Radio Forum for RSI at Chiang Mai University

All happy and excited!

Happy with what we've done for the interview with the students and making our way out of the uni and to our next stop!

This is where the 3 days trek begin, no bathing for 3 days, no clean and proper toilets, never ending walking, and climbing and fun!

second day on the trek, I discovered elephants are really ugly with VERY thick skin! hahaaha

third day of trek, our reward for climbing non stop and tolerating with the hot n dry weather... a close to bathing experience. We even manage to find a bottle of shampoo and scrub our heads clean in the cold water.

ninth day in Chiang Mai, we went for cooking classes! A person to a wok and we learnt to cook red/green curry, tom yum, phat thai, to spring rolls and KANG KONG! wow! What a treat after all that work at Chiang Mai University for our Radio Project and all that trekking we did which we lost ALOT of weight!

We really did loads of cooking!

last day, on the plane and....

home sweet home... =)

2007-05-04T09:31:00.001-07:00

Coming right up, our chiang mai adventure!

Be grateful.

2007-04-23T21:09:00.001-07:00

I am back to school and this is my FINAL semester studying. More than happy and glad, being my last sem before attachments, I want to enjoy what I do here. I am specialising in Journalism, still I had wanted Broadcast Media because for the past 2 years, broadcast media was the ONLY thing that had kept me going. What with Advertising, PR or Marketing, though they roll in loads of money, I cannot bring myself to gasp the concepts. Advance Radio Production timetable clashes with TV Journalism and Radio Journalism so I chose Photojournalism as my third elective. I love what I have chosen to specialise in and am looking forward to what I am going to learn and do. Though this is only the 2nd week of school, I must say I still do not know what is in stored for me. Will I do well in Photojournalism? It is one module that you cannot strive to work on. If you have the eye for good pictures, you have it. If you do not, then you don't. I do not know if i do have what it takes, but i want to capture what I think is beautiful and will tell a story just by looking at those pictures. "A picture speaks a thousand words, so there is no need for captions." Was what my American-Japanese photographer lecturer told us. He kept going on about taking pictures from the heart. I think I am beginning to like him. To be a lecturer in mass comm, I don't think it comes as a surprise that most students here think they are the best. They discriminate and feel disgusted when people are different from them. My photojourn lecturer warns us from becoming people like that because we never know and can NEVER understand what these people have gone through to make them so different from us. For that, I salute him. I came across the tyra banks show this morning, and what was featured were three sets of conjoined twins. One in their early childhood, one 11 months old and another 18 years of age who had successfully been separated. Listening to them talk about how they fought so hard to just live life normally was one emotional ride. They were talking about how people wrote them letters to tell their mums that they should never have been born because they were natures freaks. Like why would people be so mean? It is not like they chose to be like that. Well, everybody can say what I have just commented but what we do not realise is, sometimes we pass sarcastic remarks at somebody just because they are slightly different from us and we pass them off as weird. The effect is the same ain't it? What got me thinking after watching the show was, those conjoined twins has a spirit that most of us do not have or are fighting to have. Despite their handicap, they fought hard to live in a world where people just cannot stop pointing their fingers at them and putting them down. They said life was hard, but they managed to smile and brave those things that came their way. Looking at myself, it reminded me of one thing. How God has been so gracious to give me one perfect body that is able and not struck with disabilities. Talk about doing the impossible. We always think we cant, simply because we do not have what it takes to do it. But the fact is, we already are so perfect because God made us and allowed us to be. So what is actually restricting us, is our mind. Impossibilities are in our MIND. And that is all that is stopping us. Make a change in perspectives and you'll start to see yourself doing things you never thought possible. If the handicap could live life doing things we thought they cannot do, what more us?

2006-12-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

I'm back in school on a Friday morning just 3 days before Christmas and I'm really all excited about it! Selene gave me my present already but I'd NOT open it until Christmas though I'm itching to find out what it is. I have the urge to tear the gift wrappings open. I think it's the super emo black stockings heh, she knows whenever I see somebody in school wearing it I'll scream and she'll push my head away. Well, there was once I saw a girl wearing a bloody red one! That was like so devilish and not at all sexy, it looks horrible and we giggled and walked away. There's gonna be a Christmas party tonight and I'm really looking forward to it! The gift exchange I bought was absolutely lovely, trust me, you wanna pick it cause it's big, fluffy and huggable super! I miss Pong pong and Jaime too, yes definitely did miss selene, 'the' nise and pei yi. Those were the crazy friends I spend 5 days a week with and going away during the week break got me really missing them. I'm so happy when Selene called me from her trip overseas, stupid girl called me when I was nursing my fever on Monday but that still put a fat smile on my miserable face that day. I rode on Uncle pony's car to school today and on the way bought Ms Donald's BIG breakfast! Again, I must stress without BiG breakfasts Carrie-Ann will die. It's like if I were to wake up in the morning not knowing what my purpose is, I know the first thing I want to do is to have a BIG FAT FANTASTIC BREAKFAST. Sometimes, I really wonder whether I have changed a lot. I used to be really simple, not to say I am more complicated now, just that there're so many responsibilities weighing on me, it is sometimes too difficult to breathe, But the nice raining weather did something for me this season, it gave me quiet moments to think about my life. Sometimes, I think it's too difficult to live it, oh well I know angela's gonna go, it's okay what and danny's gonna go it's gonna be okay, but it is I who is gonna live through it now. It's hard to find something to laugh about nowadays, it's hard to find something to be happy about and definitely there is a reduction in my joy engine. However, whenever I'm alone, I still smile when I look at how GOd made the sky to be so beautiful for me and whenever I'm in school, my crazy mates never cease to make me roll in laughter. Know what? No matter how difficult I think it is, I'll just live it a day by itself. I've got a family, I'm in mass comm doing what I like (especially RADIO!), I have great friends who love me and I have people to love, I have a mighty God. I don't think I need anything or anyone else. I used to look forward for a great relationship but now it seem so blur already. I guess that can wait. Whoever or whatever, I can't be bothered yet. There's always sunshine after the rain =)

2006-11-15T05:11:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Liting I’m able to wake at 4am to do my work. Glen was still online. Caesar hasn’t slept. It’s been awhile I woke at 4am to do my work

I love it because it is especially quiet, peaceful

Despite the lack of sleep, I found it a great time to be connected with God even when im doing work.

I’m never alone.

I cooked some noodles for breakfast with the micro wave, I love eating big servings of breakfast.

When Till I see came on the I tunes, I went on my knees to worship God with the song playing. And as I knelt and soak in His tender presence and goodness, the sky before my changed. It was wee hours in the morning when the sun was beginning to rise. Though I can’t witness the sun rise from my bed room window, I could see the sky changing colors.

On my knees and with my hands lifted in declaration that I will live a child in awe of You, I opened my eyes to the changing colors of dark blue to violet to crisp baby blue color.

This is heaven on earth.

I met with my Savior today and He gave me an extraordinary encounter. Nothing spoken, the loving kindness and grace just surrounds me.

Joy, indescribable.

2006-07-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe the way
Your love has got a hold on me
Each morning I wake to find You near

You lift me above my fears
And set my feet on solid ground
All of my days belong to You

And I breathe in Your
Breath of life that fills my heart
You are my all consuming fire

And I stand here before You
In wide-open wonder
Amazed at the glory of You
The power of heaven
Revealing Your purpose in me
As I’m reaching for You

2006-04-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

girls, I told you to check out this book and i encourage you to buy it and read it and be convicted and proud of your covenant.

Here's a short summary of the book.

"I do not believe that dating is sinful," writes Joshua Harris. "I view dating in a similar light as I view fast-food restaurants--it's not wrong to eat there, but something far better is available."
In a methodical, practical, and challenging manner, Harris then goes on to describe the "better" way of romance, a way that might spare many heartaches and regrets.While thematically focused on how to build proper male-female relationships, the real message of I Kissed Dating Goodbye is about a maturing relationship with God.

Dating--in a traditional sense--is one of the greater obstacles to young men and women growing in Christ as they ought. Dating is broken; it needs to be fixed.

Just a part of growing up
Most kids grow up thinking that dating is an essential part of being a teenager. To them, life is a series of one-girlfriend (or boyfriend)-after-another, which really amounts to one-heartache-after-another. A two-year relationship seems like a long-term commitment. Even those who make it through the junior-high and senior-high years with their sexual purity intact will often emerge with damaged emotions, bitterness, and cynicism. To be sure, much of the damage may have been inflicted by the individuals involved, but likewise the system itself is faulty. There must be a better way to interact with members of the opposite sex, a less hurtful means to find a suitable life partner.

Smart love
Joshua Harris, himself no stranger to the hurts and pitfalls of dating, offers a solution--something he calls smart love. Smart love begins with the desire for God's best, and, by default, requires a knowledge of and a willingness to obey God's rules. Smart love is revolutionary; its object is God and others, never self. Harris describes it against the backdrop of his own form practice of (what else?) "dumb love": "I was primarily interested in what I could get, such as the popularity a girlfriend could give me or the comfort and pleasure I could gain physically or emotionally from a relationship.... I lived 'dumb love'--choosing what felt good for me instead of what was good for others and what pleased God." H:e follows this admission with two piercing questions:

-Does love motivate the guy who sleeps with his girlfriend when it will scar her emotionally and damage her relationship with God?-Does sincerity motivate the girl w;ho leads a guy along then breaks up with him when she finds someone better?

The answers are obvious. Smart love is a sincere, God-focused love that is concerned for others. Dumb love, on the other hand, is self-centered and flirtatious. Unfortunately, little to nothing is being said to teenagers about smart love these days, even in church. Many lives and homes have been damaged, if not devastated, due to the neglect of smart love.

The seven habits of highly defective dating

I Kissed Dating Goodbye is not just about sexual purity; it scrutinizes the whole course of friendship, courtship, romance, engagement, and marriage. In a chapter on what's wrong with the current approach, Harris argues that dating (1) leads to intimacy but not necessarily to commitment; (2) tends to skip the "friendship" stage of a relationship; (3) often mistakes a physical relationship for love; (4) often isolates a couple from other vital relationships; (5) in many cases, distracts young adults from their primary responsibility of preparing for the future; (6) can cause discontentment with God's gift of singleness; and (7) creates an artificial environment for evaluating another person's character.Using the analogy of a swerving shopping cart--one that insists on going its own direction rather than being steered--to describe dating, Harris states, "I've concluded that for Christians dating is a swerver--a set of values and attitudes that wants to go in a direction different from the one God has mapped out for us."

Now what?
So how do we avoid defective dating? How can couples meet, romance one another, and nurture a relationship that might someday bloom into marriage? It's one thing to spot the flaws, but what are the Solutions?To begin with, we must stop abusing the word love. Our meaning is far below God's, yet it is His blessing we want and his best we pursue. Understanding what God calls love is our first step."Like a fruit picked green or a flower plucked before it blossoms, our attempts to rush God's timing can spoil the beauty of His plan for our lives."Man's view of love contains several notions that are contrary to God's, and should therefore be contrary to the way we pursue love, especially love in the deepest and most intimate of human relationships. We must reject the philosophy of love that holds comfort of self as its chief end, reduces love to a mere feeling, and believes that love is beyond control. According to God's Word: love seeks first the good of others, must not be measured by feelings, and is capable of being controlled responsibly.Simply put, the style of dating so prevalent in Western culture is little more than a series of short-term relationships, a training ground for divorce. Where's the responsibility? Where's the sincerity? Where's the love?

Patience, purity, and grace
The substance of romance-as-it-ought-to-be must include, among other qualities, patience, purity, and grace. Sometimes what is wrong with a romantic relationship is simply its timing. "You don't need to shop for what you can't afford," quips Harris. If a young man (or young lady) is not prepared to seriously consider a lifelong commitment, he is better off to avoid monopolizing another person's affections and isolating himself from other valuable friendships. Why not rather enjoy the season of singleness as a gift from God? After all, singleness brings opportunities in life that may never come around again.When the possibility of romance does enter one's life, what a blessing it would be to have developed a lifestyle of purity. Even if one's past contains moral failure, devotion to purity can begin today. Describing why h has come to value purity, Harris writes:"Physical interaction encourages us to begin something we're not supposed to finish, awakening desires we're not allowed to consummate, turning on passions we have to turn off." Harris labels this as "foolishness." "The Bible tells us the path of sin, particularly in regard to the wrong use of our sexuality, is like a highway to the grave. We shouldn't get on it then try to stop before we arrive at the destination--God tells us to stay off that highway completely."Patience is tough; purity is a struggle. God's grace is available. "The past needn't determine our future," Harris suggests. God can and does forgive and renew.

From friendship to romance
The journey toward marriage cannot be reduced to formula, nor should it be. Relationships are as unique and varied as the people who are in them. God is creative in building lives and even more so in bringing two lives together as one.However, while there is no formula, there are principles to help navigate a relationship through the major stages of romance. (Harris defines these stages: casual friendship, deeper friendship, purposeful intimacy with integrity, and engagement.) These principles include suggestions for determining if the relationship should be moved along, how to move it along, ad how to get the right help in the process.

Focus on becoming
Finding the right life partner is a matter of working to become the right life partner, trusting God to cover the "who" and "when" issues. Purposing to remain pure, taking proper advantage of singleness, and building wholesome relationships that cause one to treat younger men as brothers and younger women as sisters--that's a big enough assignment for anyone. Developing basic life skills (e.g., cooking, child care, home-repair tasks, vocational training) can further prepare one for building his or her own household some day. Since we tend to associate with those who share our values and goals, by concentrating on becoming a faithful, diligent, industrious, and skilled man or woman of God, are we not more apt to attract the same?
—Summary written by Tim Grissom

joshharris.com ikdg main

2006-03-30T21:23:00.000-08:00

A PASSION FOR JESUS
Text: Matthew 28:19-20

I. Illustration - Lost Child:

If the police came into out church this morning and told us a child was lost in the woods behind the church most of us would go help them look for the child while the rest remain her praying.
Point: is a lost child of any more value than a lost soul?
Jesus spelled out the purpose of the church in the Great Commission. How do we fulfill this purpose?

Witness and evangelize! Yes, but how do we do that effectively? For one thing we aren't doing it effectively now. What isn't being done? What are we doing wrong? Is there something we don't understand?

These are important questions. Answer me one question. "How do you share your faith, witness, or evangelize in your personal life to people around you?" Or maybe the question ought to be, "Do you witness and evangelize to the people around each day?"
Let me tell you how you probably witness. This is the most popular way and it also is the most ineffective way there is. It doesn't work.
Most Christians think that if they just live a consistent Christian, people will see it, figure it out, and come to Jesus. What is wrong with this approach? First, it isn't Biblical. This isn't how Jesus told us to share our faith. Yes, Jesus told us to live right before men. But, we are not to let living right be our only witness.
Living a constant Christian life without sharing the word of the Good News isn't enough. Likewise, sharing the word of the Good News without living a constant Christian life isn't enough either.

We need to understand that there are many ways to share our faith and evangelize.
- Peter was confrontational.
- Paul took an intellectual approach.
- The blind man (John 9) took a testimonial approach.
- Jesus with the woman at the well, used an invitational approach.
Our problem is that we, for the most part, don't try any of the approaches. We need to understand something. Peter wasn't the one who failed when he stepped out of the boat and began to sink. It was the eleven who waited to see what would happen to Peter that failed.
If we really believe the unchurched are important, then we would focus on them. Do we? We need to forget about having a passion for souls. We simply need a passion for Jesus.
II. Why do we need to go forth and share our faith? Because the lost are out there, they aren't in here. Nothing could be more irrelevant to them than a local church. Many of them have gone through the great divorce of religion. They have separated their spiritual longing from being fulfilled through a particular church.
Please note, they still have a spiritual longing, because God has placed that in everyone. They simply aren't looking for a fulfillment to that longing in the church. That is why a Friend Day is good.

Jesus was a very out going person. He enjoyed talking to strangers every where He found them and He found them everywhere.
Jesus always met people, strangers, on their own turf.
1. He entered into a leper's life so completely that He touched the sick man's body (Matthew 8:1-4).
2. He went into Zacchaeus', the tax collector, house and ate with him (Luke 19:1-10).
3. He broke a cultural barrier by associating with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 45-38).
4. He met Nicodemus in the middle of the night (John 3:1-21).
5. He picked little children up in his arms (Mark 10:13-16).

In these ways He touched people's lives and hearts, and they responded positively. Paul said, "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some" (I Corinthians 9:22).
Illustration - Bill and the Deacon:His name was Bill. He had wild hair and wore a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He was brilliant. He became a Christian while attending college, but that hadn't changed his outward appearance.
Across the street from the campus was a very conservative, well-dressed congregation of believers. They wanted to develop a ministry to the students, but were not sure how to go about it. One day Bill decided to go there. He walked in with no shoes, jeans, T-shirt, and wild hair. the services had already begun. Bill started down the aisle looking for a seat. The building was completely packed and he could not find space. By then people were looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one said anything. Bill moved closer to the pulpit and, when he discovered there were no seats, he squatted down on the carpet.

Although his action would have been perfectly acceptable at a college fellowship, the members had never seen anything like this "in church". By now the people were really uptight, and the tension mounted. About this time the pulpit minister, who was seated up front on his "throne" observed one of the deacons slowly making his way toward Bill.

The deacon, in his eighties and wearing a three-piece suit, was a godly man, very elegant, dignified, and courtly. As he walked toward everyone was thinking, "You can't blame him for what he's going to do."

It took a long time for the man, leaning on a cane, to reach the boy. The audience was silent; all eyes were focused on the elder.
The pulpit minister waited also. He couldn't begin his message until the deacon did what he had to do.

But then the congregation watched as this elderly man dropped his cane on the floor and, with great difficulty, lowered himself and sat down next to Bill to offer praises to God with him so he would not feel alone.
Point: We can become all things to all people, that we might win some to Jesus. How have you touched lives for Jesus this week?

After Jesus returned to heaven, the church's leaders clearly modeled Jesus' willingness to interact with strangers because Jesus still wants to strike up conversation with strangers. Now the members of the body of Christ's church are His eyes, His smile, His mouth; so we must be alert for the Holy Spirit's leading.

Because of this we must be ready for any conversation the Holy Spirit schedules.
We are told to "not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" (Hebrews 13:2). However, we live in a society that is increasingly darkened by isolation and loneliness. We tell our child to not speak to strangers (Stranger Danger) and this is good instructions, but unfortunately most of us adults also avoid strangers.

The Holy Spirit is at work among the strangers who surround us every day. If we want to follow Christ's example we need to scan our own crowds as well:
1. Looking carefully for people who are hungry to meet Jesus.
2. Looking for the hurting to share cheerful conversation of hope.
The power of public acceptance and love is often all that is needed to bring salvation home to them. In other words, people need friends.

III. Our world is full of people who are so staved for a listening ear that they'll pour their hearts out to complete strangers.
We need to soak our day in prayer before it begins, so we'll be ready for any conversation the Holy Spirit schedules.

As you build friendships with people and earn their trust and respect you can share your faith in a wonderful way. People no longer ask for you to give evidence that there is a God. They want to know about the experience. People are hungry and longing for information and help for their lives. They don't want church talk. They want to know if Jesus is real in your life. There is a great emptiness in most lives.

There is a lot of confusion concerning which God is the real one. People don't know whether the Mormon Book, the Koran, the New Age writings, or the Holy Bible is the true revelation of God. They don't know which to believe. How do they know Jesus is real? Just because the church says so. That doesn't work. Because there are Mosaic, Temples, and Shrines saying there's is the truth. How do they know? By seeing Jesus is real in you.
They may only see the truth if you share it. How important are your words of faith? No price can be put on them. So, what are we missing when we fail to speak for Jesus? What is being lost for the kingdom of God when we don't evangelize our friends.
Would you rather be known as a Jesus freak to people here on earth, or as one who failed to share your faith to the Father in heaven?
So, yes people need to see Jesus in your life on a daily bases, but they have to be approached about their own need. What attracts them to Jesus is an invitation by a trusted friend. Friends listen to friends. You and I need to naturally communicate our faith. When we do we will see people come to Jesus.

Conclusion:
We need to be a people who values the lost and reach them for Jesus more than we do now. We need to be a church that loves the lost. We need to be a people that have a passion for Jesus. I'm praying to that end. Let's commit together to fulfilling the purpose Jesus gave for this church.
Let's come this morning and commit ourselves to sharing our faith with our friends and strangers alike.

(Preached at Woodville Baptist Church, Mitchell, Indiana on October 4, 1998, by Glenn A. Hamer, Senior Pastor.)

2006-03-14T21:19:00.000-08:00

Why bad things happen to Good people
Or If I were in Charge

The answers to many questions depend on our point of view. When we are self-centered, we may ask or think the following:

If I were in Charge, good people would prosper and the bad would pay (no mercy required)
If I were in Charge, people would always know what to do (faith wouldn’t be required)
If God loves us, why to good people suffer and bad people prosper?
If I had a lot of money, I wouldn’t have to work or worry
When we are not the one in charge, we often get a warped view of what being in charge really means.

Really being in charge means accepting responsibility for more things and people. That means:
Higher highs and lower lows

We suffer loss when anything within our scope of responsibility suffers loss
We Gain when anything within our scope of responsibility gains

1 Cor 12:18-27, But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. {19} What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! {20} Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. {21} The eye can never say to the hand, "I don’t need you." The head can’t say to the feet, "I don’t need you." {22} In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. {23} And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, {24} while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. {25} This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. {26} If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. {27} Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.

Self-centered One limits his highs and lows.

When others gain it is often viewed as something that hurts us and we are low. It doesn’t make us feel too bad, it just keeps us from joining in their celebration.
When others suffer loss we rejoice in a measure that it is not us and we glory in their loss. This doesn’t really make us feel good, it just keeps us from feeling bad.

Taking Ownership
Those who are owners, and take responsibility, work harder than any who work for them.

Servant or Son?
Gal 4:3-10, And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were slaves to the spiritual powers of this world. {4} But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. {5} God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. {6} And because you Gentiles have become his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, and now you can call God your dear Father. {7} Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you. {8} Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. {9} And now that you have found God (or should I say, now that God has found you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual powers of this world? {10} You are trying to find favor with God by what you do or don’t do on certain days or months or seasons or years.

The Slave

Only works when he has to
Does not "take the job home with him
Always wants to know what he "has" to do
Takes no responsibility or ownership
He sees gain as making the most for the least amount of work

The Son

Takes initiative and works when he does not have to
Takes the "job home with him"
Takes ownership and responsibility
He sees gain when the family gains

Which side are we on?
How much do we care for others? Do we suffer with them and celebrate with them?
Do we have to know how much we "have" to do?
Do we 'expose' or 'hid' the sins of others? Do we gossip about them, or try to help them?
Do we act as part of God's family?

2006-03-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

Turning Back or Walking with Jesus?
Do you also want to go away? —John 6:67
What a penetrating question! Our Lord’s words often hit home for us when He speaks in the simplest way. In spite of the fact that we know who Jesus is, He asks, "Do you also want to go away?" We must continually maintain an adventurous attitude toward Him, despite any potential personal risk.
"From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more" ( John 6:66 ). They turned back from walking with Jesus; not into sin, but away from Him. Many people today are pouring their lives out and working for Jesus Christ, but are not really walking with Him. One thing God constantly requires of us is a oneness with Jesus Christ. After being set apart through sanctification, we should discipline our lives spiritually to maintain this intimate oneness. When God gives you a clear determination of His will for you, all your striving to maintain that relationship by some particular method is completely unnecessary. All that is required is to live a natural life of absolute dependence on Jesus Christ. Never try to live your life with God in any other way than His way. And His way means absolute devotion to Him. Showing no concern for the uncertainties that lie ahead is the secret of walking with Jesus.
Peter saw in Jesus only someone who could minister salvation to him and to the world. But our Lord wants us to be fellow laborers with Him.
In John 6:70 Jesus lovingly reminded Peter that he was chosen to go with Him. And each of us must answer this question for ourselves and no one else: "Do you also want to go away?"

2006-03-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

After reading “all that is required is to live a natural life of absolute dependence on Jesus Christ,” I gave out a long phoew. There have been a lot of questions in my head, even feelings I could not seem to recognize. Indeed I felt uncertain of what is to come, but day and night I told God to convict my heart. In mind and in speech, I did absolutely as told: the right thing to do. However, every time circumstances or the things I hear are going according to what I’ve embraced myself to believe; I felt this suffocation in my heart. That was when I realized, doing it right in mind and in speech isn’t good enough. My heart needs to be convicted. And it shall be so until the day I see myself set free. That uncertainty of what’s gonna happen and still trusting, shall be my assurance that I’m following Jesus every step.

2006-02-22T02:19:00.000-08:00

entering the house.... what awaits us is a great awesome time of fellowshipping and cooking and messing upthe kitchen and loads more movie to watch!!

2006-02-22T02:16:00.000-08:00

we're all gathered here today to EAT!! so who's in the kitchen?

2006-02-22T02:15:00.000-08:00

i'm not that a great future housewife am I? sobz.. it's not my fault! it's the oven that burnt the pizza!! =(

2006-02-22T02:13:00.000-08:00

the beginning of a good housewife! go debbie! you're the gal!

2006-02-22T02:12:00.001-08:00

guess who this monster is!!?? she's hungry isn't she?

2006-02-22T02:12:00.000-08:00

look at them! they're all busy cooking! now let me tuck my hair back and try my hands on the food! muahahah

2006-02-22T02:11:00.000-08:00

some are waiting for the food for arrive ZZzzZZ

2006-02-22T02:10:00.000-08:00

some are cooking away! great future housewife is what angela calls them

2006-02-22T02:08:00.000-08:00

the food finally arrives!

2006-02-22T02:07:00.001-08:00

let's all eat now! yum!

2006-02-22T02:07:00.000-08:00

the fruits of her hard work! way to go bird! enjoy!

2006-02-22T02:06:00.000-08:00

scoop scoop scoop food! these modest yound ladies here serves the food before they eat it! what great young ladies they'll become! haha!

2006-02-22T02:01:00.000-08:00

I've yet to show u pictures on our cny cg steamboat reunion dinner!! So here goes!

2006-02-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

my two beloved! so glad so glad so glad to see them back again! and they promised to come EVERY week! Lord, use them to do something BIG!

2006-02-22T01:59:00.000-08:00

beloved jia yan and yenting adding more food for us! talk about servant leader! we have great examples here!

2006-02-22T01:58:00.000-08:00

janice peeping at food from the next table.. waiting for an opportunity to attack!! muahahahahah!

2006-02-22T01:57:00.000-08:00

yummy! yummy! having a great time here!

2006-02-22T01:55:00.000-08:00

my darlings!! from right to left: doriss, brii, hy!! muacks!

2006-02-22T01:54:00.000-08:00

I missed them alot (both cheryl and vanessa!) God, allow them to stay close to me always.. come back often u to two! with much love =)

2006-02-04T14:03:00.001-08:00

On the third day of Chinese New Year, I went back to school!! We had to do IAC project. Well, I bet we were all reluctant but thank God for those awesome company; Lala, Eva and Joa-chim!! It wasn’t that bad, except the food vendors are all still enjoying their public hols so joa and I went to dig everything out of the vending machine. They even sell Campbell soup!! My gosh! It’s tasty and nice! Thereafter I went to Mr Chan’s house to visit him! Edwin waited for me to come, so nice ya. Thanks Edwin! He even went to buy KFC because I was just too lazy and Mr Chan paid for it. Heh.. I’m surrounded by nice people. Having graduated for one full year, I can’t help but feel overjoyed when I see him as well as my mad classmates of 5 Hope there. My heart is feeling an overwhelmed of emotions even as I’m typing this. I had a long talk with Mr Chan while ed was buying lunch for me. It’s amazing how I could hold up a conversation in Chinese with him. I missed Mr Chan a lot, though we often call him CHAN SEE POI. So rude of us but I’ll never forget the days where I’d misbehave in his class because I detested Chinese. I would say I cored a good C5 only because he had always been kind and nice to us, I would be a murderer if I didn’t buck up and chiong for at least a C5. I went home that day feeling overjoyed and somehow it makes me want to cry. I thank God for all my classmates who’re doing fine. I prayed and thanked Him for putting through this phrase of life. Every phrase that I go through, He has given me friends who love me and friends whom I love. This I believe did not happen by chance. See, for each and every person, it is a different school, different friends, different experiences built through every different phrase. Not one is similar to the other, and it is all well planned. God has been so kind and looking back at where I had been in the past, I thank Him so much for what happened in my life. Actually, that day I knelt before Him and thanked Him for the people that have been a part of me before. Though I am not close to all but they appeared in my life and had sort of been part of this picture where I’m place. I told God to watch over ALL be it whether I am close to them or not.

I can never say enough “thank you” to my great big God.

I too met cai, jas, Russell, Michael, lu-lu!

Went to stans house to visit all of them!! My old friends! I realized these friends of mine were really old already but they don’t look one bit old! (DUH! They’re so active!) Some are getting married soon and I am FORCED to save up because I have to give them ang-bao on their wedding night! *screams exhortation!!* They encouraged me to learn driving and actually it does make sense. I shall consider because yuen feng said I could drive his car when I get my license! Ahahaha yaya I don’t believe! I haven’t got that much money to even start learning to drive.

I’m so very glad to see them all again. I enjoy spending time with them, for one reason, because they’re older and knows far more than I do. They speak with maturity and talk to me through their experiences. Most importantly, I missed them and am glad to the see the whole room filled with laughter with my nonsense and them making fun of me again.

God, you watch over these stewards of Yours and bless them abundantly!

However happy and exciting Chinese New Year had been, I had to work through the night all the time. On Chinese New Year’s Eve, I did my work till 0430 am!! Every night after doing so much work and finally it’s time for me to rest, I get night mares. I get jolted awake every night, sometimes woke with a scream. On and on it went until I got hit by fever AGAIN. Who won’t? I can’t even rest well. I dragged myself to school nevertheless for I just cannot afford to miss the consultations and classes. On my way to school, I almost got killed! You won’t believe what happened. I boarded 151 and sat infront, so more and more students boarded the bus and it was packed. The bell infront ain’t working and so I thought somebody would alight with me at NP’s stop since they’re all students. To my horror, NONE got down. I can’t press the bell and I can’t move out! So I thought, fine, they are probably all from SIM so I shall wait for his whole crowd to alight the nest stop. You know what? NONE got down again! I was getting mad! Nobody moves when I said excuse me! I was wondering where on earth these students are from!! I can’t travel on and on with them until they all alight so I squeezed my way through and finally reached the door and I was at the 4th stop from school already. Now you see, the weather was mercilessly hot and I had a fever. I walked under the killer weather and took a bus back. I thought I would die on the spot. God has been my strength man.

Liting has been nice to keep making sure I don’t faint and offered to buy me food and bought Panadols. Thank you darling. Monster Cherie, being a monster, was so mean and tempted me with yoghurt ice cream still! *screams monster!* Haha! Pretty Joachim helped me with my lap top! (Oh wells, I forced him) Heh, thanks Jo!

Collin brought me medicine and food.
Allie called me to make sure I’m okay.
My girls love me.

God is good!

Thank you Lord!!

Many a time I get so ungrateful and complain about the smallest stuff ever. I fail to see that I’m already very blessed. And I suppose that is the same for everyone else as well.

Count your blessings =)

2006-02-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

2006-02-03T20:27:00.000-08:00

heh heh heh this is the picture of my grand daddy n grad mummy.. saw it on display in the living room during chinese year year, so i decided to take a photo of it since i can't smuggle the wohle thing out of their house. now so i wonder... why is it that his nose is so sharp and mine'snot one bit like that? urgh.. haha enjoy this old school pic.. i think it's charcoal painted..

2006-01-28T20:39:00.000-08:00

The Secret to JoyIt's a matter of attitude.by Carole Mayhall
I squirmed a bit as I forced myself to listen to my friend cataloging her problems. After three hours, I interrupted her gently to ask, "If you were to draw a circle to represent your life, what would be in the center?"
She thought a moment, then said, "My problems." My friend spoke the truth.
A week later, I sat across the hospital bed on which lay my younger sister, Joye, who had just been diagnosed with acute leukemia. Gray and perspiring, with a swath of bandages encasing her throat from a biopsy, Joye talked to a student nurse who was interviewing terminally ill people to see if there was any way she could help them.
"Oh, Jan, I'm a bit fearful of the pain and process of dying—but I'm not afraid of death! It'll just be a change of residence for me," I heard my sister, her face radiant from within, say to this student nurse. And for forty-five minutes, Joye explained the good news of Jesus Christ to Jan.
Afterwards, I thought, Both my friend and sister have serious problems. Yet one's walking in despair, and the other in joy. What makes the difference?
Then I realized what it was: My friend's heart was occupied with her problems; my sister's heart was occupied with the Living God.
A heart occupied with god is a joy-filled heart. Yet I admit I often have days (weeks? months?) when I'm discouraged or disgruntled. The reason isn't because I don't understand the big picture. I can see clearly the mountains of God's faithfulness, sovereignty, and incredible love. But my joy is often ruined by small blotches on the canvas.
I discovered one such mar early in my walk with God when I failed to obey a command found in Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."
Soon after my husband, Jack, and I were married, the owner of the home we moved into informed us he'd decided to turn the efficiency apartments surrounding our house into a motel, and Jack and I were asked to be the rental agents for it. That meant someone needed to be at home twenty-four hours a day—and most of the time, I was that someone. Soon the person who cleaned the units quit and I found myself not only "managing" the motel but cleaning the rooms.
Scrubbing one of the motel toilets one day, I grumbled to the Lord. "You know, Lord," I said, "I could be leading a Bible study. I could be talking to the neighbors about Christ. I could be taking a meal to a shut-in. I could be doing lots of things that would be more useful and certainly more pleasant!"
And there, sitting on the floor, scrubbing that toilet, I heard his voice speak to my heart: Carole, whatever you do, do it heartily for me.
"Even cleaning motel toilets, Lord?"
Even cleaning motel toilets, child.
It dawned on me that I could scrub floors, cook meals, dust, chauffeur people, serve in a multitude of ways, and serve God heartily in doing so. If that was how he wanted me to spend my time, well, that was his business. I could do it for God! Knowing that made all the difference in my attitude.
I have an inkling this is one lesson God will continue reminding me of the rest of my life. If I'm not learning (and relearning) it, the "dailies" of life—those miserable, mundane jobs, those dirty, no-one-else-will-do-them tasks—become not just drudgery but downright depressing, and joy will disappear.
But some of us resist learning. In fact, Jack says some people have twenty years' experience while others have one year's experience repeated twenty times! I inwardly wince when I hear him say that because I wonder if I'm one of the latter. I certainly don't want to be guilty of repeating experiences without learning from them.
It's hard to remember that irritating situations are allowed by God to train me to become more like his Son. A rough paraphrase of James 1:2-4 might read, "Good attitudes aren't developed solely through a relationship with God, but through testing." We may feel as though we have a good attitude when, in fact, our attitude hasn't yet been tested. I have a wonderful attitude when Jack and I experience a smooth, non-hassle flight. But when the plane is canceled due to mechanical problems, when my luggage is lost, when we have to run for connections and then miss them, when the plane's air conditioning doesn't work and they run out of ice … well, somehow I begin to have an "attitude."
When stressful situations and difficult times threaten to bring the scum of my life (a bad attitude) to the surface, it's my choice whether to stir that scum into my everyday circumstances, or maintain a joyful attitude and ask God to skim the scum from my life. A part of living joyfully rests on the decision to endure unpleasant situations as a sacrifice of praise to God.
I've found a great time to check why I'm doing something is when I do my best and no one notices. Or when, instead of a pat on the back, I get a kick in the rear! But, if I listen, I often hear God's voice saying, Beloved, for whom are you doing this? And I become aware once again that I've been doing it because I have no choice, I hope to please people, I want a challenge, or for some other no-good reason. I haven't really been doing it for God.
Author Paul Thigpen defines joy as "the sense of delight that arises within us in the presence of someone or something we love." He goes on to say, "Joy depends not on our acquisition of something, but rather on our encounter with something." I'd say Someone—a Someone who renews us every day.
To be more joyful, I need to drink in God's presence. When I spend more time in his Word, he reveals more of what I need for joy. As I was praying about this article, I said to the Lord, "Father, I want to do this—not just for the readers but for you. I want to write 'heartily' for you. But to do that, I need your help." It struck me then that in order to do everything for God, I must do everything with him. I need his help to have the kind of desire it takes to do whatever I do for him … alone. And doing it for him and no other person or reason indeed helps me to overflow with joy.
Many times, in many situations—from speaking to writing to scrubbing the kitchen floor—I inwardly scream, I don't want to do this! And I know those times will continue while I'm living on this earth. So I'm praying often these days that I'll be willing, even eager, to relearn this needed lesson every day.
The apostle Paul tells the people in Thessalonica that he longs for their love to "increase" (1 Thess. 3:12). Not only that, but they are to increase in living to please God "more and more" (4:1, 10). And not only are they to increase "more and more," but they are to be sanctified "through and through" (5:23). I love that!
That's what you and I need—the ability to increase more and more, through and through, in living to please God. Obeying God's command—to "work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people" (Col. 3:23-24, NLT)—will help us overflow with joy, no matter what we're doing.
Carole Mayhall is the author of numerous books, including Come Walk with Me (Waterbrook Press) and Help, Lord, I'm Sinking: Lessons from My Rocking Boat (NavPress).Copyright © 1998 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today's Christian Woman magazine.Click here for reprint information on Today's Christian Woman.March/April 1998, Vol. 20, No. 2, Page 46

2006-01-28T04:55:00.000-08:00

It's Chinese New Year again! As i sat there waiting for the steamboat to be ready and relatives to arrive I can't help but think how fast the past one year went by. Here I am, going to have my reunion dinner again. Once again, fear and excitment bubbled in me. Fear of seeing and greeting my dad again, and excitment bacause this is the time where the human spirits are soaring high with joy and excitment!

I'm here online right after my reunion dinner forgoing the television programmes because i'm desperate to hear God. For the past days, I've been having a rough and dry time spending my quiet time with God. Taking time out to speak to Him became such a drag but I pressed on. Whenever I felt spiritually dry and thirsty, I kept myself busy with school work and friends so that I do not have to go back and face a even drier state of conversation with the Lord. He never failed me though because everytime I go back to Him, He allowed me to leave feeling well fed and hydrated again.

As I was reading blogs of fellow Christain brothers and sisters and Christian articles, I got encouraged to share one of the things God has taught me recently. It was a simple truth and fact but don't you agree that the human mind tends to forget the most basic and simple truths?

While i was staggering through my quiet time with God few days ago, I came across this song "For this cause".

"Hope has found it's home within me

now that I've been found in You

Let all I am be all You want me to be

Cause all I want is more of You

Let Your pressence fall upon us

I want to see You face to face

Let all I am be all

You want me to be

cause all I want is more of You

I'm living for this cause

I lay down my life into Your hands

I'm living for the truth

the hope of the world

in You I stand

All I want is You"

It spoke of living my life for Jesus and wanting nothing else on this earth but Him alone. I was dumbfounded because He brought to my mind the times during worship where I would sing my heart out to Him, sing so fervently and so loudly for these words to reach Him. But now, they did not mean as much to me. That was when I realised, I need to pray for these words to mean something to me again. If I am not living my life desperately wanting only Him then I have not kept true to what I had told Him "Lord, all I want is You."
I told God to help me sing those words to Him and let it mean a whole lot to me again.
The world can keep my mind at other things but the Lord will turn my eyes back to Him again.

That night, I reminded myself again of how Christ has died on the cross for me. We have to keep reminding ourselves of the sacrificial act that Jesus has done on the cross for us. I told myself to remeber it and once again and be motivated to want to keep Him as the only strength and source of my being.

Lord, remind my precious brothers and sisters too.

Nicole Nordeman - Why LyricsWhy Nicole Nordeman

We rode into town the other day
Just me and my daddy
He said I`d finally reached that age
And I could ride next to him on a horse
That of course was not quite as wide
We heard a crowd of people shouting
And so we stopped to find out why
And there was that man that my dad said he loved
But today there was fear in his eyes
So I said daddy why are they screaming
Why are the faces of some of them beaming?
Why is he dressed in that bright purple robe?
I`ll bet that crown hurts him more then he shows
Daddy please can`t you do something?
He looks as though he`s gonna cry
You said he was stronger then all of those guys
Daddy please tell me why?
Why does everyone want him to die?
Later that day the sky grew cloudy
And daddy said I should go inside
Somehow he knew things would get stormy
Boy was he right
But I could not keep from wondering
If there was something he had to hide
So after he left I had to find out
I was not afraid of getting lost
So I followed the crowds
To a hill where I knew men had been killed
And I heard a voice come from the cross
And it said father why are they screaming?
Why are the faces of some of them beaming?
Why are they casting their lots for my clothes?
This crown of thorns hurts me more then it shows
Father please can`t you do something?
I know that you must hear my cry`s
I thought I could handle a cross of this size
Father remind me why?
Why does everyone want me to die?
When will I understand why?
My precious son
I hear them screaming
I`m watching the face of the enemy beaming
But soon I will clothe you in robes of my own
Jesus this hurts me much more then you know
But this dark hour
I must do nothing
Though I`ve heard your unbearable cries
The power in your blood
Destroys all of the lies
Soon you`ll see past their unmerciful lies
Look there below
See the child
Trembling by her father`s side
Now I can tell you why
She is why you must die

2006-01-28T04:43:00.000-08:00

Lord, it is You I want to live for everyday. You guide me in this walk with you, for my human strength are just too weak. Hold me close, let Your love surround me. Bring me near, draw me to Your side. And as I wait, I'll rise up like an eagle, and I will soar with You; Your Spirit leads me on by the Power of Your Love.

2006-01-28T03:35:00.000-08:00

my darrrrlingg as well! God blesss them both!!=)

2006-01-28T03:34:00.000-08:00

my darrrrlingg =)

2006-01-27T22:43:00.000-08:00

went to school for written comm consultation and it's a day out to town with darlings ting and cher!! wee! yap so while waiting, as typical mass comm crazy students, we have two models that'll become the headlines of my blog today. Featuring Hafiz and Joe... the route to modellazation.

2006-01-27T22:41:00.000-08:00

step 1: get a hairstylist for a hair make over

2006-01-27T22:40:00.000-08:00

step 2: comment on how you want it done up

2006-01-27T22:39:00.000-08:00

step 3: be good and let the pro style it

2006-01-27T22:38:00.000-08:00

ready for camera...

2006-01-27T22:37:00.000-08:00

ready for camera..

2006-01-27T22:36:00.000-08:00

ready for camera

2006-01-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

I saw why'c? yesterday! hehhehheh yes yc i'll inform you when i get a bf..that is.. you HAVE TO WAIT ahahahahah..

yeah school's the lime of my life now. I reckon with great friends and mad classmates around me all the time, school life has hit fun to the max! Though projects and assignments are piling up, i'm looking at them more optimistically as compared to last sem (which was hell and i often get panic attacks). Still fall ill when the pile gets bigger, nose bleeds the same but they are no threat to me already. They'll stop somehow, so i'll just let the blood drain out of me. I took some AWESOME pictures at radio studio yesterday! peeps enjoy!

2006-01-26T18:29:00.000-08:00

wait till u hear our spppooooffffff!! hehhehheh

2006-01-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

shhhhhh recording....

2006-01-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

cherie concentrate!! muahahaha

2006-01-26T18:26:00.000-08:00

our mixer in the studio

2006-01-26T18:24:00.000-08:00

Eva and I taking a sneak pic in the busy busy radio studio! it won't kill to have some fun in between!

2006-01-26T18:23:00.000-08:00

Cherie and I doing our stereo assignment and our character's name is stupid ADAT (thanks to her!) buahahah so here goes ADAT in our production! *screams into mic!*

2006-01-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

2006 will be an awesome year for my CG. Charge with me people! You know who you are! ;D

2006-01-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

This is during the Christmas week. ;)

I’ve not been updating this blog for so long, now I do not know where to begin to write down these awesome adventures God had allowed to happen in my life the past weeks.

Let me first start with Christmas!
We were all gathering at Danny’s house and that marked the start of the most awesome Christmas I’ve ever celebrated. We had awesome catered dinner with Turkey, Cray fish and loads more good stuff. Bird, Kiat and I simply refused to join the others so we could stay put and eat as much as our stomach could hold. We talked and laughed a great deal too!

Later that night, few stayed behind and the adventure began!
We took two cars out- one drove by Jiaying and the other by Aly. Our first stop was Balestia’s Famous Bak Ku Teh which we left only around two plus in the morning and proceed to “drive-in” Mac near Kallang. There, the girls broke out into hysterical laughters that drove everyone mad. Kiat was revealing all of her stupidest jokes and riddles that got me laughing like a witch again. Haha that was how some people would describe my laughter. I reckon witches don’t open their mouth big enough when they laugh, but I do it ALL the time. Yes, so on and on we went. Kiat, Xiang, Jiaying and I, until we refused to leave because that session had us all joltted awake. Mind you, it was already 3 to 4 in the morning already. Anyhow, we missed bird who was not able to join us. Oh bird, we made up a family story with you in it! We even composed a song for you! We got all cranky. Anyway, we drove back to Dann’s house to get our bags while the “older” ones were dropped off at where their beds were situated- which is their homes. WeiChun, Ian and Eugene all got off. Jiayng drove Kiat, Xiang, Shawna and I back to dann’s house while Aly drove Winston, Rey, Ceasar, Fred and himself back to dann’s house. There, they negotiated for half a decade before deciding to proceed to Wins’ house to stay over. It was about five in the morning when we left for his house. The three girls and Wins took Aly’s car, while shawna and Fred took a thirty bucks cab ride(if I’m not wrong) to wins house. The journey there was.. was like traveling from malaysia back to Singapore, as Xiang would put it. However, I do not want to discredit the beautiful night with wind that gushed through Aly’s car window, that hit our faces so hard we were whacked awake. Accept for Kiat who slept like a pig, Xiang and I were enjoying the sweet night air. Wins on the front passenger seat was rocking to the Christian music played in the car and at the same time making sure ALy’s kept awake so he could go on driving us till we reach our destination safely! Aly said he fell asleep on the high way driving!! Wins, why didn’t you whack his stupid head?!

We arrived at Wins place at like six in the morning? Aly, dropped dead on the sofa with his smelly feet. Kiat laid as dead as log on the other sofa. As for the rest of us, we took turns to shower and got refreshed. I just don’t get how I can get so hungry when I had a good sumptuous meal at dann’s house, bak ku teh and MacDOnald’s altogether, hours ago. Oh well, I managed to survive ten mins into the start of the movie they were playing, then retreated back into the guest room with Xiang, leaving behind Shawna and Wins to watch the rest of the show. Here, I want to comment on how beautiful the sky was that night, or rather morning in-between. It rained, but to no one’s notice. Wins has big long windows which I adored and I just had to look across that beautiful landscape to admire God’s beauty and sweetness. I whispered my thanks and went to squeeze on a bed with Xiang. If given a choice, I would really want to fall asleep before the heavenly view but it ain’t convenient. Xiang and I talked and talked until we had no more energy to continue. I remembered the last words went like this.

Xiang: Good Night… and wake me up in the morning.
Carrie: *Stares at the ceiling* and said.. But it’s already morning!

Silence fell and the air we breathed out became moist and heavy. We both fell deep asleep. I awoke and found Kiat on the floor beside us.
Xaing and I slept with our hair wet and woke with our hair STILL wet. Haha..

All of us rolled around for another hour and then decided to go home, change and meet at Paradiz for Shushi Buffet. And Buffet we had. Xiang and I went out to walk while waiting for the rest to finish up.
We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering in town and headed home. I touched down and slept so deep until the next day.

I told God, this was the most awesome Christmas I’ve ever had.

Week after Christmas...

I started to read on Geisha and I got hooked. I am writing an informative essay on the Geisha (thanks to the idea Tammy gave) and can’t let go of the book now. I strive to finish it overnight!

Work was mundane but it’s the last week I’m working for Auntie Pauline so I gave it my best. Anyway, I get fascinated by the books, so it ain’t that bad working there. After work, went to catch Chronicles of Narnia!! Man it is an awesome show! The best of the best! I told Collin I’m crowning it the best of the best movie of the century! And he went.. “Sure not.. don’t watch another one and crown that the best of the best too.” Anyway, Collin wait till you catch that movie too! Haha.. the funny thing was, when checked my phone right after the movie has ended, I received a msg from Nad confirming our Narnia movie promise. I went.. “OOHHHH NOOOO! I JUST WATCHED IT!” and yes, I’m so gonna get it from her. Now I promise to watch Geisha with them!! so God, help me keep my promise! Heh.. sorry Nad.. Forgive me!!

Went Pastor Laiyien’s house for dinner on thurs. She cooked a good deal of delicious dishes! There’s sherperd’s pie, nice fishes(I don’t how what it’s called), fries, nice sparkling veggies, omellettes which they taught me to cook and nice black black cjicken wings! (which she told me to fry but I ran away!) Oh and potato soup! Ate to our heart’s content man! I fell in love with her balcony. For that place captures the sunset perfectly. The very moment I walked in, my eyes were glued to the perfect picture of the open sky. It was shaded purple, golden orange, red, dark blue. It was a magnificent mix of colour. i wonder how anybody can fail to appreciate it.

I’m looking forward to the new year “party-party”

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the many times you allowed me to appreciate the beauty of the sky, the smell of the sweet night air and the beautiful people you gave to me. Many times I felt vulnerable at how the things and people of the world could get to me, yet you never fail to tell me You’re near me. Make me more courageous than yesterday and more joyful than I’d ever been! To be a blessing and to be the woman of God that You’ve called me to be! Let Your light never stop shining on me and let Your glow never leave my face. Jesus make my heart so tender and so sensitive to Your presence always! I want to wake up to see Your smile. =)
Love always!

2005-12-10T14:00:00.000-08:00

broken, but hopeful

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. . . . 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:1-5,10

In 102 different directions, my mind is racing;
All over my restricting room, I find myself pacing.
So desperately, I’m trying to establish balance.
Although, it seems I’m lacking the talents.

Gently, softly, you whisper in my ear—
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
Frantically running, searching for answers, I’m too busy to hear—
“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Fatigued, I collapse into the comfort of my bed;
Overwhelmed, I try in vain to plan my day ahead.
I acknowledge my dependence upon self is futile.
Your constant strength in my life is crucial.

You say, “I’m all you need;
Without me you won’t succeed.
I’ll be your refuge, your hiding place.
Just calm your anxious spirit and seek my face.

“It’s not about you; it’s all about me.
Now proclaim to the world what I have done for thee.
Bring glory to my name.
Tell how you will never be the same.”

There are times when we’re troubled as we carry heavy burdens. We can find comfort in Jesus’ words, “Come to me . . . and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). But giving our troubles to Jesus doesn’t mean that everything will instantly be made whole.

I wrote the poem above after a 2-week period when it seemed that every time a hardship was resolved, three more would occur. In the midst of everything, God taught me some lessons. First, I must quiet my busy mind before God. Second, I must remember that no one can take away my joy (John 16:22). I have hope for the future, and I need to share that hope with those around me. Third, I must acknowledge that his ways are higher than my ways (Isaiah 55:9).

We may not understand now why bad events happen, but God sees beyond today—into eternity.

Exactly exactly exactly what i want to say!