Singapore Garden Festival

Went to the Singapore Garden Festival again. The last time was when it was held two years ago. I'm still very impressed with the lovely exhibits.



This exhibit won the first prize. Lovely, eh?



This one's called - Seeking Shangri-la. It looks like an underwater fanstasy...





I just liked the two exhibits above and deliberately took them from the selected angle with my trusty SE K800i.

Bell's Palsy

Dad woke up yesterday saying his face felt numb and he had difficulty opening his eyes. He found it difficult to swallow too. We were all afraid that it could be a second stroke. It's almost 5 years now since his last stroke.

He went to TTSH, needed a brain scan and was warded.

The brain scan results came out today and praise the Lord! It's not a stroke but a viral infection called Bell's Palsy which is a form of facial paralysis resulting from damage to the facial nerves.There is no cure or treatment for Bell's Palsy. So he's only given some medicine to fight viral infection and inflammation. Thus, he's discharged today and is home. 

The prognosis is generally very good. The extent of the nerve damage determines the extent of recovery. Most individuals get better within 2 weeks after the initial onset of the symptoms and recover completely within 3 to 6 months.

My THECkies

When I was doing staff training, I had to facilitate a group of new lecturers whom I fondly call "THECkies".

My THECkies are a good bunch and I'm glad to know that they are trying to be better lecturers.

Well, as I've said before - people come and people go and Kia's one of those who has left and is leaving for Beijing. Jeanne and I met her for lunch and wished her well.

I'm sure God has put the THECkies in my life for His purpose and I've been much encouraged by them.

God bless you, Kia!

God's will

Read Esther's blog and was reminded by what she learnt from church. In that sermon, the pastor said, "Most of us have got it all wrong. We do not ask God what His will for us is... we should ask Him what HIS will is and how we can be a part of His will...".

And this is what I learnt from the Experiencing God course some years ago.

It's important to know what God's will is and to obey Him. One way to start is to spend more time with Him...

PS. Just came back from B.R.I.C.K. meeting and we completed Daniel chapter 6. Daniel did not neglect to continue his regime of prayers even when King Darius imposed a new rule and thus, he was thrown into the lion's den. Daniel knew what God's will is and did his best to obey God.

Shape Run 2008

Sam and I took part in the Shape Run for the 2nd time this year. We actually walked 5km la.
But I'm so proud of the fact I did it under 1 hour. This is especially as I haven't been exercising much since I broke my toe.

Being Alive

Attended a concert by Robin Goh entitled - "Happy Robin" with Christian, Jeffrey and Sam.
Robin sings well and I enjoyed his selection of primarily jazz pieces.

This particular one - "Being Alive" (from the 1970 Broadway musical, Company) caught my attention. I've not heard of it before but I was thinking that human experience and human relationships truly make one aware of being alive.

Someone to hold you too close
Someone to hurt you too deep
Someone to sit in your chair
And ruin your sleep
And make you aware of being alive

Someone to need you too much
Someone to know you too well
Someone to pull you up short
And put you through hell
And give you support for being alive - being alive
Make me alive, make me confused
Mock me with praise, let me be used
Vary my days, but alone is alone, not alive.

Somebody hold me too close
Somebody force me to care
Somebody make me come through
I'll always be there
As frightened as you of being alive
Being alive, being alive

Someone you have to let in
Someone whose feelings you spare
Someone who, like it or not
Will want you to share a little, a lot of being alive
Make me alive, make me confused
Mock me with praise, let me be used
Vary my days, but alone is alone, not alive

Somebody crowd me with love
Somebody force me to care
Somebody make me come through
I'll always be there
As frightened as you to help us survive
Being alive, being alive,
Being alive, being alive.

Dad's 60th Birthday

Dad celebrated his 6oth birthday at the Changi Rise function room with a catered dinner.

He invited Pastor Moses and his family from Nagaland. His children, Samuel, Johsua and Ruth and their cousin, Arvin put up a performance for him.

Asher, Phoebe and the chey-cheys enjoyed themselves too.

The world vs the Word - on Giving

The world says: "Be sure you get what's coming to you."
The Word says: "Life doesn't consist of what you possess."

The world says: "Spend and accumulate goods."
The Word says: "Give and you will develop character."

The world says: "Wealth is a person's security."
The Word says: "Refuge in God is our security."

The world says: "You deserve the best."
The Word says: "God deserves the best."

The world says: "Give so that you may obtain favour from others."
The Word says: "Give because you have received favour from God."

The world says: "See your own gratification."
The Word says: "Offer to God your gratitude."

Prayer:
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we Your servants pray, give us an awareness of Your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may make known Your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by offering to You what You deserve, by giving up ourselves to Your service, and by walking before You in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory throughout the ages. Amen.

Hind's Feet on High Places and Adam: God's Beloved

When God created man, He created in him a need for intimacy. This need pushes man to search for something to satisfy it. He will not know true peace until his heart finds God, who is Love, and rest in Him. This search begins a long and perilous journey to attain the relationship which God wants with man, a perfect union with the Shepherd, where deformities and fears become transformed.

This blossoming relationship of love between God and man is described in Hannah Hurnard's modern allegory, Hind's Feet on High Places. It is the story of a young woman named Much-Afraid, and her journey away from her Fearing family and into the High Places of the Shepherd, guided by her two companions Sorrow and Suffering. The book takes its title from Habakkuk 3:19, "The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."

Hind's Feet on High Places is a very interesting book with many lessons to impart. I realise that I have much in common with Much-Afraid - I need to learn Acceptance-with-Joy and Bearing-with-Forgiveness. Eventually, I hope to leap like a deer.

I also just completed Henri Nouwen's book - Adam: God's Beloved where it is evident that though we may not be physically handicapped like Adam, we are much handicapped in other ways. Through Adam, I learn the importance of communing with God and finding that perfect rest in Him.