A David, himself...
Although I have been attending the international church here for less than two years, the senior pastor of our district has earned loads of respect from me. He hails from my home country, an Asian and a small-built man but with faith as big as the biggest mountain in the universe. To me, he is like the David in David and Goliath!
He took over the pulpit one Sunday and said in a gentle but very firm manner...
"There has been a trend of people coming in late for service. If you were invited by the president to meet him, would you be late...and God is bigger and a more important person than the president." Short, firm, made-no-apologises reminder to the congreggation! The following weeks, the people were punctual.
In SH, traffic conditions are unpredictable, people could easily be offened by such words. On top of that, among those he was speaking to, are CEOs, COOs, CFOs, Presidents, Vice Presidents and some other big shots of multi-national companies. Remember, the pastor's salary depends on these people. I salute my pastor for his boldness to speak up for God!
Back home, it is pretty common to enter into worship in a half-filled chapel and only to find the whole chapel filled to the brim just before the sermon starts. Or worst, to have your worship interrupted by late-comers who need to sit beside you!
Sorry to remember the past...it has become my classic....a couple who came to church late, couldn't find a parking lot and drove off. Someone was apologetic about that. Sad, sad, sad. Imagine God telling us, "heaven is full, please go down!"
...are we all not nomads? In life, there are only various stops, we haven't really arrived...but no matter where we go, I will always be a mum.
Chinese New Year, some after thoughts...
Being away made homecoming a very sweet event. While most took the opportunity to "run away" from it all. We, the nomads, will do everything to get home. Once home, it is always about catching up with friends and families...on top of the feasting and fun, there were not so ordinary moments...
Of death...
The cycle of life. An ex-colleague's father passed on and I could be there. It was good to know that all are going fine with her.
Of simplicity
I have always admire this friend of ours. Looking at their lives is a lesson in itself. Both husband and wife work for a non-profit organization (NPO), "Youth at Risk". Well, we all know what income is like from a NPO. They have three wonderful kids...(read hard)...no iPad, no Wii, no DS, no PSP....no tuition. Their eldest girl scored an almost perfect score at the last PSLE exams and went on to study in a SAP school with full scholarship until she finishes her 'A' levels. This is a huge financial burden taken off the father's shoulder.
Their kids took out pic-up-sticks, UNO, Monopoly to play with Kai and Ann during our Chinese New Year visit to their house. Board games like these foster friendships, build communication skills, help the kids to socilize instead of sticking to hand-held gadgets. I have banned Kai from having his DS due to some bad behaviour. It has been two months now and he is doing fine without it! Hmmm, perhaps sending Kai to stay with this family will be a great summer camp. As for me, I have stopped thinking about iPAD. Simplicity is the way to go.
Of betrayal...
A friend made a huge mistake of buying over a half-a-million-dollar business and what made it most painful wasn't the dollar and cents but the very person who gave him the problem was a friend of more than 20 years. It was no longer a business that failed but one of betrayal. Nothing is more painful than being betrayed by someone you have trusted. This is why I live my life drawing a clear line between friendship and business. I am just glad that I was there to listen....the job of a friend.
Of miracle...
A pastor friend who had gone through two major brain operations could fly to Singapore for a holiday, fully paid by a good samaritan. And I had the privilege to catch up with him and his family and to listen to the story of how a S$300 per pill made its way from the US of A to the Philippines. Not just one pill but ten of them! That meant a lot to a pastor who does not earn a fixed income. If God is not at work, tell me, who is?
Never ever think that Chinese New Year or any festival is a chore. I know I am not wrong to say that for many of us, we only meet certain of our friends and families once a year and it is during the Chinese New Year. Make it NOT a chore!
Being away made homecoming a very sweet event. While most took the opportunity to "run away" from it all. We, the nomads, will do everything to get home. Once home, it is always about catching up with friends and families...on top of the feasting and fun, there were not so ordinary moments...
Of death...
The cycle of life. An ex-colleague's father passed on and I could be there. It was good to know that all are going fine with her.
Of simplicity
I have always admire this friend of ours. Looking at their lives is a lesson in itself. Both husband and wife work for a non-profit organization (NPO), "Youth at Risk". Well, we all know what income is like from a NPO. They have three wonderful kids...(read hard)...no iPad, no Wii, no DS, no PSP....no tuition. Their eldest girl scored an almost perfect score at the last PSLE exams and went on to study in a SAP school with full scholarship until she finishes her 'A' levels. This is a huge financial burden taken off the father's shoulder.
Their kids took out pic-up-sticks, UNO, Monopoly to play with Kai and Ann during our Chinese New Year visit to their house. Board games like these foster friendships, build communication skills, help the kids to socilize instead of sticking to hand-held gadgets. I have banned Kai from having his DS due to some bad behaviour. It has been two months now and he is doing fine without it! Hmmm, perhaps sending Kai to stay with this family will be a great summer camp. As for me, I have stopped thinking about iPAD. Simplicity is the way to go.
Of betrayal...
A friend made a huge mistake of buying over a half-a-million-dollar business and what made it most painful wasn't the dollar and cents but the very person who gave him the problem was a friend of more than 20 years. It was no longer a business that failed but one of betrayal. Nothing is more painful than being betrayed by someone you have trusted. This is why I live my life drawing a clear line between friendship and business. I am just glad that I was there to listen....the job of a friend.
Of miracle...
A pastor friend who had gone through two major brain operations could fly to Singapore for a holiday, fully paid by a good samaritan. And I had the privilege to catch up with him and his family and to listen to the story of how a S$300 per pill made its way from the US of A to the Philippines. Not just one pill but ten of them! That meant a lot to a pastor who does not earn a fixed income. If God is not at work, tell me, who is?
Never ever think that Chinese New Year or any festival is a chore. I know I am not wrong to say that for many of us, we only meet certain of our friends and families once a year and it is during the Chinese New Year. Make it NOT a chore!
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