Sharmaine's farewell

Sharmaine at the end of the farewell.

Sharmaine, we would miss you dearly, for you have been a great part of USM1. We appreciate you and wish you the best at YA. See you around on Sunday and elsewhere. Oh, do share with us your coming testimonies and any 人间极品 that you may chance upon next time. =P

USM*1 + USM*2 = 3 Sports in a day!

Today we had a unit sport meet at SMU...it was 3 Sports in a day! Basketball, volleyball and badminton. Can see Joyce all ready for a good game of basketball. And Ding Ting passing on some dunking skills..hmm but after all tink everyone really has a own unique way of dunking hehe. Though might not run or dribble in style but as long as ball gets in ring, that will be just as great :) Really thank God for the wonderful weather, no damage to Melissa's delicate skin :p and also a badminton court for our badminton game with 3 rackets. A nice uncle provided us with more shuttlecocks! A game with minimum amount of movement in court, so hitting shuttlecock to area that requires opponents to run to hit back r strongly discouraged haha :P

Everyone had a great time perspiring (not sweating hor). I tink not often, we get the chance to know more of people in USM*2, thank God for this time that I get to know more of Stanley and Yanling (Stanley's sister) from USM*2 :) Not forgetting the "hair-ruining" and "bum-bumping" experience on Yuhong's pick-up on our way to dinner at Toa Payoh...that makes the day...

One-year supply of chocolates..

An amused Anne at her birthday celebration. No worry, we can share the chocolates! ;)

A time of Sanity

Wondering what Sanity is?? Was just reading on ex-church sister's blog online, and understand that she was going through a period of melancholy days. Well, she is a sister that was really close to my heart, and we could share quite a few things in each other's lives.
Didnt really know what happened suddenly, but she chose to leave the church. How have things changed since then? After losing her handphone number (when i lose my handphone), she have not been sms-ing me, or even when I managed to catch her in school one day, and told her to sms me her number, she didnt also. Whats wrong? How can I help?

Was talking to David Chan one day, and he mentioned that "we may thought that she needed some time alone, so we left her alone. But probably that wasnt what she wanted."

Putting on different masks for different purposes has seem to be part of my life already. So much so that sometimes I'm not even sure which is the real me. I yearn for the time I can spent just by myself, away from the city, from the problems and blah. It's probably something all of us have on the wish list as well. The concrete jungle, hustle and bustle of the city can be claustrophobic.

The above paragraph is quoted from her blog. Think that paragraph just spoke out what I want in life also. Was talking to my "brother" online today, and he has made a decision to go overseas, without a job or studies secure. Was asking him, how can he dare to go overseas without a secure plan, and he told me, Mei, you need to focus on what you want in life,make a decision and go do it. Dont let anything hold you back.

Does that sound like wise advice to you?? To me, it sure does. I dont want to end up regretting things that I have not done 30 years down the road, when I am old and cant do anything more.

Psalm 32

Psalm 32 A psalm of David. (NLT)

1 Oh, what joy for those
whose rebellion is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!

2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the LORD has cleared of sin,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

3 When I refused to confess my sin,
I was weak and miserable,
and I groaned all day long.

4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide them.
I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD."
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

6 Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is time,
that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

7 For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude

8 The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control."

10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,
but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD.

11 So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him!
Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon "for in every case where there is a genuine, gracious confession, mercy is freely given, not because the repentance and confession deserve mercy, but for Christ's sake. Blessed be God, there is always healing for the broken heart; the fountain is ever flowing to cleanse us from our sins."

May God bless you when you read this Psalm from David that i encountered this morning...

M&M.. melting in your heart

A great thank to all who made the M&M! It was so nicely done. 2 'versions' here: one for the guys and one for the gals. Actually I think guys won't mind the cover with the cute maa maa thingy.. But it's really thoughtful of you all. I appreciate it very much. ;)

The verses are posted online as well. See under 'Links'. You can add your thoughts on the verses in the 'reflections aka comments' section.

Matthew 7:12 & Matthew 7:3

hi, all, this morning witnessed something very terrible...

i was on the bus, as usual, i had to move toward the rear of bus. after few stops, an old aunty (estimated 60++ or in her late 50) got onto the bus, and stood near the exit staircase. then, the first row of seat (which is one-seated) sat a 40++ lady, a 30++ lady sat (outside) and a man (inside) were on the second row.

i guess it is just for one of them to give their seat for that old lady (unless they got some hidden physical disabilities. i learn to give people the benefit of doubts over the years.) if i was near to that spot, i will ask one of them to read the yellow signboard, to read for themselves "give the seat to the one needed more than you do".

well. life goes on. perhap this is norm. in fact, this thing is not first time for me.

i just must let out of this thing that so unpleasant.

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12

if only those people care to think ahead of their old age, they will be a more caring person.

well. again.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Matthew 7:3

i must be ever more careful to live my life when i am so critical about thing that happening around, lest people said "another hypocrite who goes church".

It's Kelvin day!

Happy birthday tooo u,
Happy birthday tooo u,
Happy birthday to Kelvin,
Happy birthday tooo u!
Peach buns, noodle soup, future plans and leather shoes! View photos taken from the belated birthday celebration.

Basic Doctrine

Hi all, jus want to share something i experienced.Really thank God for the timely teaching in wfl on Basic Doctrine1 ...

that day, i call my friend(my uni final yr proj partner) up to nag her to return my camera back after wfl lessons on Sat.It was quite a tiring day in wfl, so I wanted to talk less and sleep early.. However, as my friend is a very chatty person, she started to ask me this and that blah blah blah...so I jus shared with her abt the basic doctrine lesson i attended briefly... hoping to end the conversation soon...but not so,instead oh no! ...she shared with me some researches and books that she read on some controversial issues in christian doctrines and beliefs. My friend is not an aggressive person but the way she shared,its like revealing the "Matrix" to me.eg. first she presented to me some norms that we always see then she will challenge me to look deeper into it and then finally slowly reveal some shocking discoveries that change the whole concept of the norm.Actually she based her reading on a best selling book,one of the mysteries the book wrote is about the Mona Lisa's smile.a bit shock to hear abt the mysteries behind it but the eerie part came when other mysteries concern parts on christian beliefs,are questioned too.

Since a young christian,I usuallly dun feel very good when i heard controversies on christian doctrines,it sounds veri dangerous as a few minutes of doubts could hav jus ended my whole years of christian living. i wanted to avoid but on the other hand i feel that my friend might have had some wrong concepts esp in christianity. so i jus listened fr wat she hav to say abt these issues...hoping to be able to correct the things tt are not true. I use the canonization lesson i learned fr basic doctrine, really had a hard time explaining the history etc.Somehow manage to convince my friend partly(she understands but stil seems a bit doubtful).Though i counter the arguements but feel very uneasy the whole night after hearing such controveries. Thank God no nightmare :p

Managed to further explain more issues to my friend the following day when i saw her online :) But her response is always "hmmm" when come to whether wanting to know the Lord... I find that its quite important to have a strong foundation and heart to counter many of these controveries nowadays. Not sure whether u all are awared of these popular books or research. They actually use factual evidences to challenge our beliefs ... "O Lord, keep us from evil!"