Leaving 30J Kovan Road

Am leaving 30 J Kovan Road for an unknown destination in June/July, because Shu Ying is moving in with her friends. I will miss this place! Although it's probably for the better because I can move to somewhere nearer to Tuas where I work, and as a consequence save up to $60 (or more) per month, along with monthly time savings of 30 hours or so.

But I will miss Kovan loads! Everything is lovely here except the distance to work. I will miss:

• My housemates. Jerome, Wen Qiao, Yew Hong. I don't think we'll be staying together after this. But it had been so fun :( Hugglies to everyone! That's a Jerome term by the way. Things will be much less side splitting without Jerome.
• The house. It's so nice and big and spacious and cooling. And the red and orange colour schemes make everything so nice and cheery. And it's a super duperly good space-for-money deal. Our electronic keyboard would probably clog up half the living room in the next place we move to. And the rental pricing would most likely be the same, if not more.
• The neighbours. Queenie and her sister Genevieve most of all. Genevieve was just getting over her shyness and started making physical contact with me. Queenie of course is the usual chatterbox, always dressed in pink and yellow barbie dresses! And she looks out for me. Will miss them. Also their maid, the random uncles which I say hi to, and erm, the two dogs.
• The SPC gas station cashiers who are extremely friendly and polite. Sometimes it just makes my day to buy drinks over there and say hi.
• The relatively short distance to MRT, Fairprice, Hougang Food Court and Heartland Mall. It's near the bus station which I take a coach home from too. Come to think of it, I would also need to consider different balik kampung alternatives in the future.
• Nex, which is this rather new shopping complex in Serangoon that sells lots of stuff, but primarily (or so it seems), food and clothes. It has this nice selection of clothes that explains part of my impulsive contributions to Singapore's flourishing economy. And it has a public library! Enough said.
• The trips home from church in JonC's car. We won't be staying close to JonC next time. But am really really grateful to JonC for being a great companion and brother.
• The trips home in my company shuttle after afternoon shift. The bus is almost-empty, and the driver is nice (although he drives a bit too fast sometimes). I wanted to tell my colleague (who stays in Sengkang and takes that bus too), that he will soon be the only person in the bus (hence first to reach home), but I just couldn't do it today. I still need some time to come to terms with the move.

It shouldn't be difficult to find a new place to move to but the moving would be a bit of a headache as our stuff has multiplied in the past year. :S Still I believe God has a plan for us in our new place, and pray that He leads us as we prepare for move.

Distraction

Oh I should be studying now but I can't get my hands/minds/attention off that wonderful awesomelicious keyboard which sounds fantastic argh!

So I have to blog now to further distract myself. And calm down so that I can hit on my long-borrowed analytical instrument text book that I've only covered 10% of. Feel so embarrassed every time my colleague asks which chapter I'm at. I always seem to be stuck in the same chapter!

Oh no oh no.

Gail, be good and responsibly put your nose in the book. Later you might be rewarded with some piano time. All things in moderation k.

Dixit

OK I knew I would blog about this game sooner or later.

Dixit is a card game with awesome 'abstract' cartoon images (or you can call it 'surrealistic images' if you like). I like the drawings so much! And all you have to do in this game is tell stories, or to be more precise, think of a word that describes a picture of your card. And since I like words and abstract stuff and all, I love this game. It has won awards too! The pics above show some (but not all) of the cards.

Been playing it with Jon, Jerome and Wen Qiao these two days. And since we're in the high-tech era, we played it in the form of an I-phone app (no physical cards). How you play it is like this: each of us 'hold' six different picture cards. If it's my turn to be the story teller, I pick a card of my choice, put it face down out, and describe it (or title it's story). As you can see from the cards, many titles can come out for each picture.

After I choose my card and story, I lay out mine; and then it's the turn for the three of them to take out one card of their choice. Then out of the four cards on the deck turned up; each of them must vote on which one they think is the card representing my story.

Here's the catch: if everyone picks my card, all of them will get points except for me. And if no one picks my card, I get no points too! So I want at least one person to guess my card but not all. (And I don't think it's very fair to give hints so that only one person can understand etc etc so this is very tricky indeed.) And of course if you're not the story teller you'd want to lay down a card that closely matches the story title, to confuse others except yourself so that you'd be the only one who guesses. Correct guesses get points; and if anyone votes for your card which you put down as a diversion you get points too! So it's fun :D

For example, there's this picture where there's this bunch of green lily pad like plants surrounding a red one in the middle. There's kind of gap in between the circle of green plants and the red, so Jon named it 'Back-Off'. Jerome named it as 'Bad Breath' when he got the card in one of his turns. But apparently that turned out to be a bad idea because all of us put down cards that has people with big mouth or jaws or all; so instead we ended up voting for each other's diversion cards instead of Jerome's because his was more abstract.

I think the best part of the game is seeing which pictures crop up and how each person tries to link his/her card to the story or the wacky titles we think up for stories. It encourages creativity, and the cards are so nice to look at! And every game ends with aching sides lol.

People I especially want to play this game with:

1. Boss & WM (Think we'll laugh our heads off)

2. Tirza (I think you can think of lovely titles for yours!)

3. JonC (Who is capable of making creative and lame comments)

4. Simon (Reason same as person above)

Get it on your I-phones while this app is still free!

Romans

A few days ago in the MRT I've taken to reading the book of Romans 16 chapters straight just to re-cap what I've learned in Simon's Bible studies and beyond. Finished in 2 MRT sessions. Each chapter just reached out to my heart and held it awe-stricken.

So many issues addressed. Among these are the some of the answers to some of the toughest questions ever asked by Christians and non-Christians alike. Some include pre-destination, 'fairness' of salvation (e.g. what about kids in Africa who died never exposed to the gospel?), the law of God - how it accuses men yet how Christians should love it, the never-ceasing love of God, the keeping of the saints in the faith and in their salvation, responsibility of Christians to live a holy life (should we sin that grace may abound? May it never be!), practical Christian conduct, historical background of Jews and how they are related in bringing forth the glory of God in the past and as of now, the responsibility of gospel-sharing and so much so much more.

The book of Romans is rich, extremely rich. And it is chock-full of promises to a believer, and every word of it rings true to my heart. The more I read it, the more I find David's words true - it is possible to really take the word of God and just delight in it, because of all the promise it holds, and because it reflect who the person of God truely is, what His standards really are like, and how boundless his love is. You can't really believe in God unless you know who it is that you trust in. And God is so amazing.

I just feel so encouraged by this epistle, and thank God for Simon bringing us through this remarkable journey to know Him more.

年轻的日子

昨天上面子书, 看到学长在那里写了那么一句:

"我不喜欢五月天的原因，就因为他们的歌总能把我带回强说愁的青春时光."

看了后第一个反应就是去搜索五月天的歌, 因为我很喜欢他们的歌词.

阿信(他们的主唱和作词) 写的词感性又贴心.

听了总让我回到比较年轻的阶段.

那一个年代.

那时, 总是觉得自己和别人不一样.

朋友不太多, 虽然也不算少.

中学生活不算浪漫精彩, 社交活动不多, 课外活动也不多.

可是那时期, 我真的喜欢读书.

读书, 上课, 周末在教会, 对我来说已经很精彩.

没有期待更多.

被理性辖制的少年光会不精彩吗?

没有所谓的"浪漫", "青涩", 更不用说"轰轰烈烈".

今天在公车上和同事聊天.

她说: 乘年轻的时候多尝试新的事.

即将25岁的我, 已经循序渐进的走向三字头的年龄数目.

没有出国的经验, 不曾染发, 作任何美容护理, 也没有到过很多好玩的地方.

我认同年轻的时候追求不一样的经历.

可是如果我定义中的快乐是在家里安静的啃书,

和朋友吃饭看电视;

如果我定义中的幸福是被自己喜欢的人围绕,

我还需要去经历 更多吗?

还是自己不必去寻找已经得到了的事?

如果没有灿烂辉煌的经历, 我的青春是否白度?

我是不时井底之蛙, 看不到什么是外头的蓝天?

可是如果青蛙已经认定自己是幸福的,

为何要出外冒险?

如果我去寻找经历, 它们将如何改变我?

我可以仍然是现在这样的自己吗?

对人对物质的看法和要求会改变吗?

不知道.

Life Is Short

Can't help recalling my conversation with Geri yesterday. We were talking about how time flies and stuff and we can't believe how old we are suddenly. Do you really think that people who have lived to be in their forties and sixties and eighties have felt that they have lived for long?

I asked Geri if she feels that she has lived/gone-through 25 years of life. She said no (of course she's not exactly 25 on the dot yet). I asked her that because that very morning on the MRT I was imagining what it was like to be 30 years old (and that's not so far away, believe me), then I realized that when you're at a certain age, you don't really feel like you 'lived' that number of years out already.

Age just catches up on you unexpectedly. And you really don't know what is your last number.

Yes, so all those quotes they said about 'Life is Short' is right. Shakespeare was right when he said 'life was a brief candle'. The Bible is right when it said life was like grass. I guess you only really appreciate the brevity of life when you're of a certain age. Throw in multiple sudden death causes, and the likelihood of dying at the moment increases more as time goes by.

I am a flower quickly fading

Here today and gone tomorrow

Wave tossed in the ocean

Vapor in the wind

I don't think I'm really afraid of dying at the moment (although a gruesome death would be dreadful). Not that I have a choice. But I'm afraid of losing the people I love. Not so much now as before once I started holding on to Romans 8: 28 once I have these thoughts. Romans 8: 28 goes, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose."

God works all things out for the good of those who love Him. What a reassuring thought. Because when I can't control anything in life, I look upwards for help and am relieved that everything is in His best hands. And I'm thankful that even though my life (and the lives of those I love) is really short, God takes care of His own.

Would you be His and rest your eternal souls in His arms today? For foolish is the man who lays down treasures on earth that will rot away with time - yet neglects his eternal soul. Life is short - so focus on what really matters.

Behold the Lamb

Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away,
Slain for us: and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgiveness at the cross.

So we share in this Bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice,
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King.

The body of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
Torn for you: eat and remember
The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life,
Paid the price to make us one.

The blood that cleanses every stain of sin,
Shed for you: drink and remember
He drained death's cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God.

And so with thankfulness and faith
We rise to respond: and to remember.
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As His body here on earth.

As we share in His suffering,
We proclaim: Christ will come again!
And we'll join in the feast of heaven
Around the table of the King.

We sang this song in church today. It's more a communion song, but we didn't have the Holy Communion today. Still I think it was very meaningful and parts of it made me cry.

I remember when The Passion of Christ just came out we cried buckets of tears over the crucifixion scene. I remember I cried primarily because such brutality was inflicted upon Christ because of my sins. I cried because of what He went through.

Today I cried because as always, I am reminded of His love for me and how miraculous, how undeserving, how powerful, that saving grace is. It's more than Christ just going through a brutal death so that we may live. It's so much more than that. Not just so that those who believe in Him passively escape hellfire into a safe place called heaven. No, if that is what you believe in you totally downplay the magnitude of your salvation.

If you're a believer you were saved unto justification, sanctification, and glorification. Men who before this hated God, and do not know Him; justified from the guilt of sin, sanctified to live a new life, and ultimately glorified with the ranks of being a 'child of God'. Absolute security, absolute love, absolute grace for each day, now and forever. No guilt in life, no fear in death. Freedom to escape condemnation from sin so that we may learn to live a life without sin. Security in knowing that God works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Security in knowing we are loved with everlasting love, and nothing can move us from His love. All this done through the cross, so that whomsoever who believes, shall not perish (in sin), but have everlasting life.

How can the knowledge of this not change your life. How can this not just fill up your heart and your life and how can you not make knowing Him your priority after what He has done for you.

In the past two days, I've quietly listened through a series of conversations from someone I appreciate and respect that broke my heart. How do you respond to someone who has given up hope that he can be right with God again and that's the way it's going to stay? How do you encourage someone who has attempted to give up a vice for as long as a year, only to relapse into it again due to physical weakness (literally)? When serving in church is viewed as a burden because people 'pull you in' and you're obliged to do it again and again? When the main aim of working day in and day out is so that you get a decent pay and you improve your life and then what? Life is so short. Too short. And it's literally burning away.

The saddest thing is after hearing all this I don't know what to say. It's all and well to pull out Bible verses and say, "I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength." I believe in this, and it helps me, but will it help another who has given up in believing in this? Who has given up in depending on the Lord to saved him in saving him again? I do not know the right things to say and have only remained silent. Who am I to say I've been through the same struggles? I have not.

But thank God when words fail, I can still pray. And thank Him that when I don't understand - He does. And thank Him that although a man's love for God can fail, God's love for His chosen does not fail. It is an encouragement for me. And I still believe that there's room for grace even in what I think is a difficult situation for there is nothing too hard for God to overcome.

And I believe that even though I'm really bad at talking and encouraging people, I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.

莫忘初衷

做工久了, 会时而麻木, 时而感慨.

得常提醒自己, 自己当初想进入药剂这行业是为什么, 自己个人在公司里想为上帝做什么.

当工作只是一个规律时, 看不见自己的小小贡献可以挽救生命, 或提高某人的生活素质.

看到自己的上司, 有时也会忘记自己在谁的权威下工作.

我事奉的要是上帝, 不是人.

我要进取不为了自己要往上升.

我的工作要进步, 因为我要为药物的使用者负责任.

做久了, 有时只想追求自己喜欢的事.

忘记 - 这个行业是个奉献, 是个责任.

忘记我是为了这个责任, 而选择在这个行业发展下去.

所以要提醒自己: 莫忘初衷.

这样才能达到我要进取的方向.

I Like This Quote

Still, I'm trying to finish my big, borrowed analytical instrument text book as soon as I can. And today I've leafed to page 100 ++! Because I skipped like 80 plus pages which was about electrical circuits.

Filling Up Those Time-Pockets

I think I should be pretty happy and satisfied now. I've got two things in my hand to fill up my time when I'm at home, and that doesn't include shopping (which I usually do).

Firstly, I got to serve as transcriber for my pastor's daily audio devotionals. Link as below.

http://www.youtube.com/evangelistmikeredick

The transcribing just started out so not every day is transcribed yet. There's also Pastor Jason's devotionals but so far I'm only doing Pastor Mike's, which I feel is the more challenging one because he talks quite quickly. Sometimes it is necessary for me to listen many times before I completely get what he says. And the speed at which he talks made me feel inclined to speed-type too, so my first transcribe ended with my last fingers of both hands feeling rather dead.

I'm glad to be able to serve in this area, as the devotionals are also spiritual food to my soul, and I hope, to many souls as well. As usual, I sometimes have my doubts about this non face-to-face outreach thing, always wondered that who would come across such devotionals besides regular church members (if they are interested), unless the pastor or preacher is a really famous one. Oh me of little faith! I always need to remind myself that God can use any channel, any vessel, in His own time and way to convict and convert. I need to learn to trust in His power and grace.

Another thing which I'm doing now is trying to read a 1,000 over page text book on laboratory instrumental analysis lent to me by my team leader. So far it has been three days and due to various reasons (such as need for huge sleep amounts for night shifts), I have only read 5 pages. Will try to be do better in the coming off-rest. :( Still I can see why this is going to be a useful book. I won't be ploughing through the whole book entirely, but at least I would be able to finish reading most of the relevant parts and it will help me develop in my job. I'm really thankful for my team leader's generosity in offering to lend me his book, and being willing to explain things that I don't understand.

Today was another of those Sundays where I go to church after night shift. My colleagues probably think it's a length too far to go for 'religious obligations', but I feel otherwise. I sustain myself to going to church after night shifts not because of any virtue of myself, but only because God is worthy of worship. Going to church weekly doesn't make us 'good' because it's some responsibility we managed to fulfill, but it is solely because God's greatness and goodness demands this worship.

When I was considering whether or not to take up this shift job this was my primary concern. Will I be missing church regularly because of shift work? Will I put my work before my worship? I think to some extent there is already some compromise. Like how I leave BS half-an hour early for night shift. Like how I miss Sunday service every once a month because of morning shifts. Therefore I make it a point not to miss any services that I could attend.

It is not easy to stay awake after night shifts. Because it's not enough just to drag myself to church, I need to stay alert all through as well, otherwise it will be meaningless. Thank God so far He has sustained me with His strength and love. Every time when I sing for worship after night shifts, I am so glad in my heart that I came, because I feel His sustaining power and grace. Because I feel His worthy-ship.