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!"
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!
Lunch with their uncle Moses
The kids' favourite uncle Moses brought us out for lunch today.
I tell you, when you are out of town, you are really out of touch. The other day, at the bookshop, I was asking the assistant if they have other outlets and I was told that they have one at 313. Huh? What is 313? Where is 313? When I was at Orchard, imagine, a true-blue Singaporean has to ask a passer-by where is 313. Ok, now I know, it is the former Specialist Centre!
Thankfully, I found the place. When Uncle Moses told us, we will be having lunch there, we thought we knew our way. When we were there, we had to look for this restaurant by the name of Brotzeit. We didn't realise that 313 is that big, there is also the outdoor dinning area. Anyway, our nomadic instinct brought us to the restaurant...
A monstrous meat platter - veal sausages, bbq pork ribs, roasted pork knuckle (with crackling skin) and pork-beef cheese sausages.
All these served with sauerkraut and a unique potato salad. Enough to feed three adults and two kids!
Close-up. Great meat! This meal was most suitable for Kai, the meat-eater
Not too far away, I saw a very interesting cafe...
My childhood favourite cartoon characters, Charlie Brown and gang
Nice pretty little cafe
Yes, my two little bookworms. Oh what joy, eating ice-cream and reading at the same time. By the way, if you happen to be in Japan and see their pictures, that is because a Japanese magazine reporter snapped them!
The kids' favourite uncle Moses brought us out for lunch today.
I tell you, when you are out of town, you are really out of touch. The other day, at the bookshop, I was asking the assistant if they have other outlets and I was told that they have one at 313. Huh? What is 313? Where is 313? When I was at Orchard, imagine, a true-blue Singaporean has to ask a passer-by where is 313. Ok, now I know, it is the former Specialist Centre!
Thankfully, I found the place. When Uncle Moses told us, we will be having lunch there, we thought we knew our way. When we were there, we had to look for this restaurant by the name of Brotzeit. We didn't realise that 313 is that big, there is also the outdoor dinning area. Anyway, our nomadic instinct brought us to the restaurant...
A monstrous meat platter - veal sausages, bbq pork ribs, roasted pork knuckle (with crackling skin) and pork-beef cheese sausages.
All these served with sauerkraut and a unique potato salad. Enough to feed three adults and two kids!
Close-up. Great meat! This meal was most suitable for Kai, the meat-eater
Not too far away, I saw a very interesting cafe...
My childhood favourite cartoon characters, Charlie Brown and gang
Nice pretty little cafe
Yes, my two little bookworms. Oh what joy, eating ice-cream and reading at the same time. By the way, if you happen to be in Japan and see their pictures, that is because a Japanese magazine reporter snapped them!
Food paradise again
I really have to work out really hard when I get home. So much food....
This morning the family decided to head home, Holland Village where we used to stay...
I have seen the up and down and up, up, up of Holland Village. I have spent a huge time of my life here...since I was eight years old. Yes, that long!
Not only dh and I miss our local food, even Kai and Ann also miss the local dishes...
The black and white fried carrot cake
Although it is called carrot cake, it is actually made of radish and rice flour mixed together, steamed, cooled and fried with eggs. The black ones are fried with dark soy sauce and the white ones are fried without the dark sauce. I personally prefer the black carrot cake. Sadly, most stalls nowadays buy the factory-produced carrot cake and fry them. Very few hand-made their carrot cake because it involved a lot of work.
Wanton (meat dumplings) noodles. This is the Potian wanton noodles. The noodles are perfectly cooked, springy (al dente), sauce, chillies are mixed to perfection. The wantons are small but full of wanton flavour! Aiya, you must eat to know what I mean. I find the stall at Holland Village hawker center is the best. Each time I eat them, it just gives me wonderful memories of my childhood days, eating wanton mee sold by this elderly couple who used to sell them at the Tanglin Halt food market. Delicious! Just writing about it is already making me drool...
I really have to work out really hard when I get home. So much food....
This morning the family decided to head home, Holland Village where we used to stay...
I have seen the up and down and up, up, up of Holland Village. I have spent a huge time of my life here...since I was eight years old. Yes, that long!
Not only dh and I miss our local food, even Kai and Ann also miss the local dishes...
The black and white fried carrot cake
Although it is called carrot cake, it is actually made of radish and rice flour mixed together, steamed, cooled and fried with eggs. The black ones are fried with dark soy sauce and the white ones are fried without the dark sauce. I personally prefer the black carrot cake. Sadly, most stalls nowadays buy the factory-produced carrot cake and fry them. Very few hand-made their carrot cake because it involved a lot of work.
Wanton (meat dumplings) noodles. This is the Potian wanton noodles. The noodles are perfectly cooked, springy (al dente), sauce, chillies are mixed to perfection. The wantons are small but full of wanton flavour! Aiya, you must eat to know what I mean. I find the stall at Holland Village hawker center is the best. Each time I eat them, it just gives me wonderful memories of my childhood days, eating wanton mee sold by this elderly couple who used to sell them at the Tanglin Halt food market. Delicious! Just writing about it is already making me drool...
Singapore, the food paradise
Each time when we are home, we must eat our local food. You will never understand the craving for home food until you are out of home!
Pork Congee with raw fish. It was superb! In fact, the best in town
Char Kway Teow (Fried rice noodles). If you are keen to know more, check out this site char kway teow
O-chian (Oyster omelette) The dish consists of an omelette with small oysters. Edible starch is mixed into the egg batter, fry together. A little spicy and sour chilli dip makes the dish speechlessly good
There were alot more to eat but... the mouth is willing but the tummy is weak!
Each time when we are home, we must eat our local food. You will never understand the craving for home food until you are out of home!
Pork Congee with raw fish. It was superb! In fact, the best in town
Char Kway Teow (Fried rice noodles). If you are keen to know more, check out this site char kway teow
O-chian (Oyster omelette) The dish consists of an omelette with small oysters. Edible starch is mixed into the egg batter, fry together. A little spicy and sour chilli dip makes the dish speechlessly good
There were alot more to eat but... the mouth is willing but the tummy is weak!
Someone shut out the sun
We are now back in Singapore for the Spring festival or the Chinese New Year! We thought we have left the cold behind in SH and could enjoy some sunshine but alas, it has been raining non-stop for the past three days. Ths kids are dying to have some sun and do some swimming. Yes, yours truly also need to do some work, knowing it will be non-stop chompping down all the new year goodies in the days to come!
Well,rain or shine, we are still going to enjoy ourselves!
We are now back in Singapore for the Spring festival or the Chinese New Year! We thought we have left the cold behind in SH and could enjoy some sunshine but alas, it has been raining non-stop for the past three days. Ths kids are dying to have some sun and do some swimming. Yes, yours truly also need to do some work, knowing it will be non-stop chompping down all the new year goodies in the days to come!
Well,rain or shine, we are still going to enjoy ourselves!
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