This morning I decided to spend more time with God, after about 1 week lack of discipline. While singing praises to prepare my heart, I looked down at the Big Thumb Square. A lot of people were already queuing up to get signature of some super star. Wow, so energetic. Are we showing the same passion to wait upon Him, to praise, worship and adore Him?
I saw a mum running towards her toddler who were pushing a shopping trolley. She quickly carried him up and hugged him tenderly, perhaps as a sign of apologies for leaving him unattended. At the moment, this struck my mind : yeah, it's her only child, must be very precious. In fact yesterday while reading about the babies died caused by the melamine scandal in China, I felt sad for the parents. So far there's only a couple that are willing to accept US$29000 as compensation for losing their 5 months child as they would not want to continue on with the complicated lawsuit and procedures. Other parents would not want to accept the compensation as it's really too low.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16.
God gave us His Son by purpose, not by accident. And even when Jesus cried "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (in Mark 15:34), do you think God is not heart broken to hear that cry of His only Son, the Obedient One? But there is a bigger mission to be fulfilled, which can only be done through the sacrifice of the Holy Lamb.
I really pray that this will speak to the very heart of people of the nation, this nation.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
I'm really going home....
Haha.... after several weeks of telling people I'll be flying back this weekend, FINALLY, I am...
It has been long 4 weeks, instead of a 10 days trip. But am glad the ticket validity was 1month. else I'm not sure when can I really go home :p haha... though there is still possibility that I'll be flying off a week later to the same place where I spent Dong Zhi, Christmas, birthday, 2009 new Year, I really hope I'll be back for Chinese New Year and most importantly our 1st wedding anniversary :)
Today some predicted there should be some snow, but it did not happen. I even left the curtain open overnight so that when i open my eyes in the morning, I can know that it's bright out there and I can start spotting snow flakes :p at 5.30am this morning when I open my eyes and walked to the window, no snow. Guess what, after that I snoozed with my spectable on... and open my eyes once in a while so that i don't miss any falling snow.
Anyway, thank God that I can still go home despite no snow :) Please make sure I get up the 6.25am train and able to catch the 8.20am flight tomorrow.... Some collegues gave me other tips to get a RMB15 taxi trip to Pudong International Airport, but... gee, still feel the Maglev is safest and no traffic jam :)
YES, I'm coming home. 1st 2009 day in Malaysia.
It has been long 4 weeks, instead of a 10 days trip. But am glad the ticket validity was 1month. else I'm not sure when can I really go home :p haha... though there is still possibility that I'll be flying off a week later to the same place where I spent Dong Zhi, Christmas, birthday, 2009 new Year, I really hope I'll be back for Chinese New Year and most importantly our 1st wedding anniversary :)
Today some predicted there should be some snow, but it did not happen. I even left the curtain open overnight so that when i open my eyes in the morning, I can know that it's bright out there and I can start spotting snow flakes :p at 5.30am this morning when I open my eyes and walked to the window, no snow. Guess what, after that I snoozed with my spectable on... and open my eyes once in a while so that i don't miss any falling snow.
Anyway, thank God that I can still go home despite no snow :) Please make sure I get up the 6.25am train and able to catch the 8.20am flight tomorrow.... Some collegues gave me other tips to get a RMB15 taxi trip to Pudong International Airport, but... gee, still feel the Maglev is safest and no traffic jam :)
YES, I'm coming home. 1st 2009 day in Malaysia.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Light and Salt
Wonder if you've been a real salt or light in the world? Are you saltier each day or you've lost the saltiness through the waves of life?
Was browsing through a friend's photos and testimonials posted in his friendster. A very old friend of mine whom I first knew in UTM. Haven't seen him for long time, I think about 5 years already. Viewing through the photos and familiar names in the testimonials reminds me of my uni life. 4 long years. How I wish it was longer as it's the best time in your life before stepping into the complicated world.
Probably uni days are the best time for evangelism as you spend most time with friends, eating, joking, travelling, talking nonsense, building rapport. In working days not many people are willing to just sit down with you for hours to talk rubbish and eat unhealthy food at abnormal hours. Hahha.... when you get older, more health issue. And when you get into the world with more peer pressure, you starts to be more interested in getting more money and achieveing more...
Uni life was mostly spent in lecture rooms, church, CG, home and other fei-low-ship places. Looking back, I once thought that I've not achieved much for God. Not getting my dream results to fulfill my purpose as a student. But am glad through various clubs and society, and friends from different contacts, I've built many friendships. Hope I did live a Christian life that encourages many, and not stumbling any...
Lord, give me more time and passion for people around me. Can I not focus too much on work and achievements but to slow down to take a look at my surroundings? To practice my human love? A heart that reach out and not always looking in? Help me to balance my life again. I'd rather have the joy relating to people, than to chase after empty dreams that will not leave much good memories for me when I'm leaving the earth in future....
Was browsing through a friend's photos and testimonials posted in his friendster. A very old friend of mine whom I first knew in UTM. Haven't seen him for long time, I think about 5 years already. Viewing through the photos and familiar names in the testimonials reminds me of my uni life. 4 long years. How I wish it was longer as it's the best time in your life before stepping into the complicated world.
Probably uni days are the best time for evangelism as you spend most time with friends, eating, joking, travelling, talking nonsense, building rapport. In working days not many people are willing to just sit down with you for hours to talk rubbish and eat unhealthy food at abnormal hours. Hahha.... when you get older, more health issue. And when you get into the world with more peer pressure, you starts to be more interested in getting more money and achieveing more...
Uni life was mostly spent in lecture rooms, church, CG, home and other fei-low-ship places. Looking back, I once thought that I've not achieved much for God. Not getting my dream results to fulfill my purpose as a student. But am glad through various clubs and society, and friends from different contacts, I've built many friendships. Hope I did live a Christian life that encourages many, and not stumbling any...
Lord, give me more time and passion for people around me. Can I not focus too much on work and achievements but to slow down to take a look at my surroundings? To practice my human love? A heart that reach out and not always looking in? Help me to balance my life again. I'd rather have the joy relating to people, than to chase after empty dreams that will not leave much good memories for me when I'm leaving the earth in future....
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Divine Appointment
Have you ever experience missing a plane, a train, a bus, and you almost did not know that? Haha... I just experienced it on 28Dec08.
It was in HangZhou where we were supposed to catch the 5:25pm train to go back to Shanghai. We were told by the taxi driver that it's ok to leave hotel at 5.00pm. But since it may be tough to get taxi at that time, we should get a taxi probably at 4:45pm. After late lunch and stroll by the lake side, we decided to catch a taxi at 4:25pm. Much earlier than we supposed to right?
We waited at the hotel lobby and found no taxi, probably not a common time for people to check in to hotel? We decided to walk out to the main road as it looks more promising. There were many taxi out there but almost none of them are empty. Some was hitched by other passengers waiting at other "better" spots than us. By 4:50pm, we were still standing by the roadside trying our luck.
At 4:55pm, finally I "caught" one, empty taxi!! The taxi driver refused to take us as he's rushing to get to his office for a daily procedure at 5pm. I told him we are going to miss our train at 5:25pm, and we've been waiting for half an hour. He wanted to refuse us again but after he looked at his watch and the heavy traffic, he agreed to help us catch our train, since it's running real late. We were so touched when he was willing to put our needs above his.
When I open the door and wanted to hop into the backseat, I saw a pink Nokia phone, a phone I used to like. Without hesitating, I passed to the driver, saying I found a handphone at the backseat. I guess he was surprised at my honesty and said that it must have been left by the previous passengers who were in Lou Wai Lou for a dinner reception. We asked if we were supposed to call the owner's friend (any number from the recent dialled numbers) and inform them that the phone was left in the car. The taxi owner says no need. Argh, at that moment of time, I almost regretted handing the phone to him - probably the phone will be lost forever. He then clarified that if he submit to his company, he will get extra merit points for honesty. Phew... ok. He's not that bad after all. We also wrote our phone number and thanks you note for him to show his superior to explain that he was late because he wanted to help passengers catch train. Else he'll be fined RMB1 every minute (worse than lintah darat!!).
After a while, while the driver was answering his cell phone, the pink Nokia phone rang. I offered to answer the phone since he was occupied. The lady in the phone sounded anxious, but she was so grateful when she found out that I was the next passenger and I actually did not keep the phone for myself. It was a very sincere "Thank You" you can tell. Great that she is local Hang Zhou residence and she has made appointment with the taxi driver to collect the phone in the taxi office. The taxi driver also asked her to report lost to the taxi office so that the merit point is secured when the taxi driver report "lost and found" at the office later on.
We reached the train station at 5:15pm. After sqeezing through the long and compact queues, we managed to get into the departure hall at 5:22pm. When I was 10meters away from the gate, I saw a lady closing the gate. OMG. The few passengers before and after me yelled, and all of us ran even faster. Luckily the lady let us in and we did not miss the train. Phew... Guess what, there was actually a "notice board" requesting passengers to be at departure hall 2hours before departure... argh, should have read that and not simply believing the taxi drivers and hotel concierge team :( But am glad God seen us through. Great amazing race!! :)
It was in HangZhou where we were supposed to catch the 5:25pm train to go back to Shanghai. We were told by the taxi driver that it's ok to leave hotel at 5.00pm. But since it may be tough to get taxi at that time, we should get a taxi probably at 4:45pm. After late lunch and stroll by the lake side, we decided to catch a taxi at 4:25pm. Much earlier than we supposed to right?
We waited at the hotel lobby and found no taxi, probably not a common time for people to check in to hotel? We decided to walk out to the main road as it looks more promising. There were many taxi out there but almost none of them are empty. Some was hitched by other passengers waiting at other "better" spots than us. By 4:50pm, we were still standing by the roadside trying our luck.
At 4:55pm, finally I "caught" one, empty taxi!! The taxi driver refused to take us as he's rushing to get to his office for a daily procedure at 5pm. I told him we are going to miss our train at 5:25pm, and we've been waiting for half an hour. He wanted to refuse us again but after he looked at his watch and the heavy traffic, he agreed to help us catch our train, since it's running real late. We were so touched when he was willing to put our needs above his.
When I open the door and wanted to hop into the backseat, I saw a pink Nokia phone, a phone I used to like. Without hesitating, I passed to the driver, saying I found a handphone at the backseat. I guess he was surprised at my honesty and said that it must have been left by the previous passengers who were in Lou Wai Lou for a dinner reception. We asked if we were supposed to call the owner's friend (any number from the recent dialled numbers) and inform them that the phone was left in the car. The taxi owner says no need. Argh, at that moment of time, I almost regretted handing the phone to him - probably the phone will be lost forever. He then clarified that if he submit to his company, he will get extra merit points for honesty. Phew... ok. He's not that bad after all. We also wrote our phone number and thanks you note for him to show his superior to explain that he was late because he wanted to help passengers catch train. Else he'll be fined RMB1 every minute (worse than lintah darat!!).
After a while, while the driver was answering his cell phone, the pink Nokia phone rang. I offered to answer the phone since he was occupied. The lady in the phone sounded anxious, but she was so grateful when she found out that I was the next passenger and I actually did not keep the phone for myself. It was a very sincere "Thank You" you can tell. Great that she is local Hang Zhou residence and she has made appointment with the taxi driver to collect the phone in the taxi office. The taxi driver also asked her to report lost to the taxi office so that the merit point is secured when the taxi driver report "lost and found" at the office later on.
We reached the train station at 5:15pm. After sqeezing through the long and compact queues, we managed to get into the departure hall at 5:22pm. When I was 10meters away from the gate, I saw a lady closing the gate. OMG. The few passengers before and after me yelled, and all of us ran even faster. Luckily the lady let us in and we did not miss the train. Phew... Guess what, there was actually a "notice board" requesting passengers to be at departure hall 2hours before departure... argh, should have read that and not simply believing the taxi drivers and hotel concierge team :( But am glad God seen us through. Great amazing race!! :)
A dream, an inspiration
I ended 2008 by doing something I really like, but not all always doing - visting museums, memorials and science centre. I never realised I like these places so much since I never really found someone that can "bare" with the amount of time I wish to spend in these boring places. Previously when visiting these places with other friends, I need to accommodate their preference and tend to browse through the facts quickly, so that I don't tie others down. After most visits, I felt a little discontent for the limited learning, but.... OK la... It's group activity. When visiting those places alone, I usually find a lot people passing by behind me, they seemed to be able to read and comprehend fast... Wow!!
Been to Shanghai Museum, Soong Ching Ling's House in Huai Hai Zhong Lu, SunYat Sen House at Si Nan Lu, Zhou En Lai House at Si Nan Lu, and also Shanghai Maglev Museum end 2008. Through these visits (except for Shanghai Museum and SCL House), I'm glad I finally found someone who actually spend equally long time browsing all the words and artifacts, even spend longer time than me esp at SYS House!! This someone that share the same interest as me is my best friend, Chew Yong Sheng. Haha... a hidden gift God gave me through our wedding early this year. Actually I should have realised it since we've been to Petronas Science Centre and Hanoi Cultural Village, but probably those were rushed trips, so did not appreciate it much :p
Was thinking about all these informative places. And was inspired - has anyone came out with a Bible Museum? How good it is to have such a informative place where people can just walk in and browse through the key message, historical moments, miracles, parables, and Christian teaching in a building? Haha.... It's nice to have such overviews. Best if can collect all the proofs which tells that those recorded stories really happened before!! Awesome!!
It's a dream. It's an inspiration. It's also a chance to give back to the society, since the museums and info centers helped me so much. If you are working on something like that, I'd like to be part of it :)
Been to Shanghai Museum, Soong Ching Ling's House in Huai Hai Zhong Lu, SunYat Sen House at Si Nan Lu, Zhou En Lai House at Si Nan Lu, and also Shanghai Maglev Museum end 2008. Through these visits (except for Shanghai Museum and SCL House), I'm glad I finally found someone who actually spend equally long time browsing all the words and artifacts, even spend longer time than me esp at SYS House!! This someone that share the same interest as me is my best friend, Chew Yong Sheng. Haha... a hidden gift God gave me through our wedding early this year. Actually I should have realised it since we've been to Petronas Science Centre and Hanoi Cultural Village, but probably those were rushed trips, so did not appreciate it much :p
Was thinking about all these informative places. And was inspired - has anyone came out with a Bible Museum? How good it is to have such a informative place where people can just walk in and browse through the key message, historical moments, miracles, parables, and Christian teaching in a building? Haha.... It's nice to have such overviews. Best if can collect all the proofs which tells that those recorded stories really happened before!! Awesome!!
It's a dream. It's an inspiration. It's also a chance to give back to the society, since the museums and info centers helped me so much. If you are working on something like that, I'd like to be part of it :)
Footprints in the Sand
I've been inspired by this story, which was first told by a Sunday School teacher when I was still a kid. It's awesome to know that in this life, you do not walk alone. You have a loyal friend that will never leave you. He chose to walk with you not because of who you are, but because of who He is - your Creator. Thus I'd like to begin this blod with this story.
Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me??"
The Lord replied, "The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you."
Mary Stevenson, 1936
Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me??"
The Lord replied, "The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you."
Mary Stevenson, 1936
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