Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Can I Have Your Time?

in the book "The Five Love Languages", Dr. Gary Chapman identifies five ways in which people generally express their affections for the people around them:

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Receiving Gifts
3. Quality Time
4. Acts of Service
5. Physical Touch

Not to my surprise, my dominant love language is Quality Time.

spending quality time, i find, is not just a love language. it is the most important thing you can give to another person. quality times are times when you communicate with the other person, connect with him or her at a deeper level and share your lives with one another. in a world where waiting is out and "instant" is in, quality time is compromised under the disguise that we can now do more with less time.

but relationships will never be applicable where this formula is concerned. no matter how much faster the world moves past you, quality time with the people around you will always remain a priority in your daily 24 hours.

having quality time as a love language is very frustrating. with work committments i become annoyed with being unable to spend time with the ones i care about.. but what hurts the most is when the ones i care no longer can spare the time for me. whenever my quality time spent with someone is compromised (usu schedule clashes), i cannot help but strongly feel that our relationship has weakened by a large extent.

it is not distance that breaks relationships. it is the lack of time.

as much as i am saddened that some friends no longer have time for me, i know myself that i too can no longer afford the time for many friends. as i ponder, struggle and seek the Lord, slowly counting the costs i've incurred so far from being involved in this ministry, maybe one day i will truly understand the art of mainting a relationship. doing it well takes a lifetime of learning, management and a ton of prayers. meanwhile, despite how much i'm struggling, i know that God has a greater purpose for me at the end of this term, and i have faith that He will fix me up again, just like He did so many times before. sometimes people say "the heart is willing but the flesh is weak", but if we include a strong faith and spirit, i believe God will give us the strength we need and compensate for the weaknesses of our flesh.

time is a gift from the Lord for the world, because where He comes from, there is no such thing as time. have you been a good steward of your time? invest it in the more worthwhile things in life. and in case you haven't gotten the clue, relationships fall under the category of "worthwhile things".

Friday, May 26, 2006

Rules that set us free

The story tells of this village situated on a hill that had a fence around it. The fence kept them safe. People could leave their doors open and children would play outside in the open space.

But one day the council decided that the fence was restricting them from venturing further. They tore down the fence.

Now the village was left open for strangers to enter. People no longer left their doors open. Children were not allowed to play outside anymore. The villagers, thinking that tearing down the fence would give them more freedom, ended up losing the very freedom they sought to have.


Sometimes people ask me whether it is easy being a Christian. with so many rules and laws to follow, it almost seems as though we're missing out on the "good stuff" of this world. have i been restricted by the rules God has given me? has being a Christian given me an added moral liability? have i been deprived of an opportunity to "experience things" and "live it up"?

people often focus too much on the restrictive function of rules, and neglect its protective function. they think that God is often a killjoy, and like a nagging parent who only shoves His rules down our throat. His rules only make us feel worse about ourselves, and so we think "might as well!" and morph into rebellious brats. but without these rules, i leave myself open to harm, invite trouble and will end up being more restricted had i not followed them.

rules reflect the Rulemaker. if i set a rule that the home is to always be clean and neat, you would naturally guess that i am a clean and neat person. likewise, God's rules for our lives reflect His intentions for us to live life His way - and He has every right to do that, because God made us! God's rules primarily serve 3 purposes for 3 different categories of people:

1. God's rules first of all are there to restrain evil and execute justice. to all who are unbelievers, this is a display of His justice.
2. God's rules reveal the sins of man and lead them to Jesus, who paid the penalty for us who have broken God's rules. to unbelievers who have a desire to accept Jesus' subtitutionary death, its is a display of God's mercy on mankind.
3. God's rules lastly serve as a rule of life for all believers. It displays God's goodness because instead of leaving us in the lurch, He has provided guidelines on how to live life His way. and His way is the best way.

God told us not to have sex before marriage. some chose to ignore Him, and leave themselves open to STDs, unwanted pregnancies and a ton of regrets.
He told us not to get ourselves drunk. some chose to ignore Him, and contract liver problems, or end up as rape victims.
He told us to follow Him. many today do not. and they will face the wrath of His punishment when they see Him face to face.

maybe some friends will find me too religious. others find me boring and uptight. yet some others will pity me for not being able to have fun like they do. but when they have chased after these things for long enough and decided that they've wasted their time, they may begin to think twice. when they realize they could no longer keep their doors open, they will finally see that the fence around their village is the best thing they've ever had.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

i work 9-6. i come home. i either do the laundry or tend to crusade matters. i sink into a fitful sleep.

i wake up. i work 9-6. i come home. i either.........

i wake up. i work.......



i had no time to rest.












and now i'm sick.


tell me.. is ministry work supposed to be like this?

Monday, May 22, 2006

If you like to talk to tomatoes..


i bought my first...


VEGGIE TALES VCD!!!!!!


*hyperventilates*



two episodes in one vcd:

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Siblingy

since mum has gone to yunnan for 9 days its just bro and i. it'll be a challenge keeping the home clean, laundry done and meals healthy (with all the eating out).

but thank God that about 80% of my relatives live in close proximity to serangoon, and we've already received several invitations to have free dinners at their place.

it's back to work tomorrow.. another exciting week lies ahead! another school talk, captain's ball practice at Grace Haven, the neighbourhood kids coming down.. preparing for the june holiday programs.... busy busy! =)

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Why-Gee

sometimes what keeps is at YG is the company. the full-time staff, fellow project servants.. who share a common heart for this ministry. indeed God has called each of us individually to this work, and it is by no chance of any sort that our paths have crossed. i love them so, and have learnt so much from them all.

today was my first visit to a girls' home, Grace Haven at yio chu kang. we were giving captain's ball training sessions for a group of girls there, who will be taking part in SYFC's Teen Games at the end of june. we used tomatoes, tennis balls, lemons and water bombs.. before finally playing a game with a proper ball at the last half hour. they talk like most army boys, where stringing vulgarities together is their forte.

my prayer is that these juvenile offenders and at-risk youths will find the Lord under the care of dedicated workers, and that the place will live up to its name - to be a shelter and haven where these youths will discover God's marvellous grace. as i have 6 more weeks to interact with these 6 girls, i do hope to get to know them better, and that they'll continue to have me as their friend.

the eventful day didn't end there.. we held a party for the neighbourhood kids back at YG. there were games, pizzas and a screening of a story called The Three Trees. in the story, the first tree wanted to be a treasure chest, but instead was made into a crib. the second, an oak tree, wanted to be built into a warship, but ended up as a humble fishing boat.. the third tree, a pine tree, aspired to be the strongest and tallest tree of the land, but after being struck down by lightning, was made into a cross.

though with their own aspirations, each tree turned out to be very different, and seemingly inferior things to what they hoped to become.. yet the first was a bed to a baby born on Christmas Day, the second one carried Jesus as he calmed to storm, while the third became the old rugged cross for the Savior of mankind, as He breathed His last.

sometimes God puts us in a circumstance we feel is inferior to our aspirations, but little do we realize that He's using us for something greater than we can ever imagine.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Ooo, blog tag! tagged by Yokes.

I AM: JEAN. yes, wo shi JEAN.
I WANT: my loved ones to one day give their lives to the Lord.
I WISH: God has a reason to smile when He sees the way i live my life everyday.
I HATE: C-O-C-K-R-O-A-C-H-E-S.
I MISS: lydea, tree, qin, hauyiang, yaling and yeupei.
I FEAR: loneliness.
I HEAR: the whirring of the fan.
I WONDER: why God made cockroaches.
I REGRET: that i will never meet some of my loved ones in heaven.
I AM NOT: good at stress management.
I SING: pretty well.
I CRY: because i always feel better afterwards.
I AM NOT ALWAYS: as secure as i seem to be.
I MAKE WITH MY HANDS: crafts of all sorts.
I WRITE: because i want to inspire.
I CONFUSE: my left with my right.
I NEED: God. and so does everyone else, whether you want to or not.
I SHOULD: not rush through my quiet time every night.
I START: with faith.
I FINISH: with thanksgiving.
I LOVE: God. i TRY to love some of my neighbours.
I REMEMBER: most of the Silly Songs With Larry because i watch too much Veggie Tales.



I TAG (this one i add one ah): anyone who read this and wants to do it. donch say i never tag ah.
I POD: ............. sorry i couldn't resist.

Photolog


Artistic Bobby shot. haha.


Competition piece from Food and Hotel Asia '06 @ Singapore Expo.


Another dreamy wedding cake from FHA showcase.


Flamingos from Jurong Birdpark. Count how many are there if you can't sleep.


My favouritest animal in the whole wide world - the penguin.


Picture perfect.


That's P (4-1)=3. Pic taken at the Loft area of the birdpark. The noisy birds perch on your shoulders.


Everyone should eat Caramel Corn.




Bobby's new home. MOTTE plate from IKEA: $0.75. Orange pebbles from IKEA: $3.90 per packet. More room for his roots.


Dabian-zai now has Dabian-zai-zai, a gift from tomodachi, churned out from a capsule machine in taiwan. Dabian - the universally recognized symbol of health and cuteness.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

the work in YG has just gotten tougher these days. it's tough working in ang mo kio, at the void deck of a one-room-flat block. as you walk down the corridors you see so many units, simply because each flat is so small. the sight gets even sadder as you peer in their opened doors. bare and old furniture, the elderly living alone..

and at the void deck, the vegabonds, the homeless, the old and lonely, the physically and mentally disabled...... makes you think twice about the new bag you bought for $49.90.

we got wind that Rin's (abbreviated) mum passed away and yesterday went upstairs to do a home visit to find out if its true.. as my eyes surveyed the empty living room her older sister Sha (abb.) and her father were in the kitchen. the dad was smoking and obviously not very sober..

"What do you want? I want to know what you want." he pointed a finger threateningly at yokes and i as we stood at the door. Sha came to the door to tell us that Rin is fine.. but we never did ask about her mother. I have never seen a girl so fearful, alone at home with her father. Rin had ran out as usual, and would probably not be home till the next day.

Sha's father used to touch her inappropriately when she was young.. but stopped when he found out that she started having her periods. i worry for her now that her mother is no longer around. she may also have to quit school to support the family because her father is perhaps the least dependable man i have ever met.

today i met Rin and Sha's father at the void deck again. i recognize that glare and low grumbling voice, possibly from one too many cigarrettes.

i know this job is 9-530, and i have to raise a support of just $400 a month. i don't even know what am i earning on a hourly basis, because it really does not matter to me. what i experience day after day working there, seeing those people..... i will do it if i'll never get paid.

i complain about life being hard on you just because i have to go through academic pressure every term. so i come to YG, and let the poor show me just how hard life can be.

keep them in your prayers.

Sunday, May 07, 2006

How to go to Liang Court

1. Alight at Raffles Place MRT station.
2. Check locality map.
3. Feel disappointed because destination is not within map range.
4. Exit station and walk towards Hall of Justice. (i.e. the flying saucer building)
5. Walk around Hall of Justice and Adelphi Court to look for bus stop in sweltering heat.
6. Call Shaun.
7. Walk around in more circles.
8. Call Shaun again.
9. Find bus stop, wait for 32 or 195.
10. Board 195.
11. Get engrossed in reading material and miss the stop.
12. Alight at 7th station instead of the 4th, opposite Great World City.
13. Take a cab from Great World City for $3.80.
14. Mission accomplished.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Thankful heart = Happy heart

The Thankfulness Song - from Veggie Tales' "Madame Blueberry"
(click on link to download)


I thank God for this day,
For the sun in the sky,
For my mom and my dad,
For my piece of apple pie.

For our home on the ground,
For His love that's all around,
That's why I say thanks everyday.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart.
I'm glad for what I have,
That's an easy way to start.

For the love that He shares,
'Cause He listens to my prayers,
That's why I say thanks everyday!



i have always been struggling with materialism since shopping became my hobby. i was proud of it, and would always go on shopping trips with girlfriends for retail therapy. life seemed good and i always looked forward to my outings to far east or bugis street.

i see many friends around me who are just like myself. they fawn over their pretty clothes, shoes and accessories, some of which cost up to hundreds of dollars. it just didn't seem right, and try as i might, i can't stop myself. i shop to relieve stress, i shop because all we have in this country are malls, malls and more malls. i shop because i hope that i can find comfort and little pleasures in the things that i buy.

with seemingly innocent intentions i began picking up this habit that has become a social disease here. but deep down i knew it was becoming a problem. i had zero savings, and did not really use some of the things i bought. whenever i had money, i would want to spend it, but everytime i came home with my loot, the happiness i feel would disappear the next day, and i would go back for more.

surely there are better ways to spend the money i have, and if not, to just save it for a rainy day. regardless of whether we earned the money yourselves, excessive shopping means being irresponsible with the wealth God has entrusted to us. i certainly haven't been a good steward of the few hundreds of dollars i get month after month, if the sight of my room is anything to go by. i'm running out of hangers, my tupperware overflows with accessories and i currently own 16 pairs of shoes. you never realize until you count them.

if i'm thankful for the things God has given me everyday, i would not have to look to the malls for happiness. it's time to cut down on that retail therapy because in the long run, what it really is doing is turning me into a covetous, greedy, selfish person. so much for therapy.

from now on shopping will be a bonus, not a habit. it's time this heart becomes a little more thankful.

Descant

Will your anchor hold
In the storms of life?
When the clouds unfold
Their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift
And the cables strain
Will your anchor drift,
Or firm remain?

We have an anchor
That keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure
While the billows roll
Fastened to the Rock
Which cannot move
Grounded firm and deep
In the Saviour's love

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