Zoom in and out

Do you sometimes find it extremely hard to take account of your daily lives especially when the pace is running relatively fast and by the time the end of the day comes you are already looking into what is happening tomorrow? There are days upon coming home late and I find myself scurrying around, trying to get my next day sorted out, pack some lunch for the Kel and myself. And before i know it, i hit the sack and its tomorrow. It's only when i was browsing through different people's blogs that i begin to think what this blog is all about. What's the purpose of it, what should i pen down etc. It was meant to be a sort of journal for me, ok, now since we are sharing the blog as a family, for Kel and me. I say some sort of journal because we're definitely not those who will write down the details of what we have done through the day, neither are we people who has got many thoughts and opinions. We're normal people, who yeah have thoughts and opinions but many a times we talk and almost forgot about it. Meanwhile let this place be a place of spontaneous entries unless any of you readers have some sort of preferences, just leave us a note.

I try to look back each week of what has been done and achieved so that i can better take stock of what is ahead. I think something that was significant to me personally was the teaching i prepared and taught over life group last Friday. Though the lesson was not an extraordinary lesson, touching on God's holiness and us pursuing holiness, still it was one of those lessons, as i prepared, I could feel the holy spirit alongside, so that was great. There were things i have been wanting to touch on, areas like the way we lead our lives, areas where there is no absolute rights or wrongs. In fact many areas are not even close to being scripturally wrong. However, being stewards of our lives, we could lead a life that seeks to please Him more, proactively, and at the same time proactively growing, not just in life but spiritually too. To engage in activities that will not only be great fun but lead us to be more passionate for Him and His purposes too! Hey, no we can still have fun, just that we need to constantly remember to take stock of our lives, popping this question often, are we growing and having increasing passion for Him each day? Its an area I have been constantly challenged in. In the past, i have gone with such a mentality, i work hard for ministry and i will come to this one day that I switch off anything that is related to the things of God. I told God, just let me be, its MY day. I come to realise that God tugs in my heart and revealed to me His Big heart. Isn't He the air i breathe each day? Each day shouldnt be missed without Him in my life, and that includes His purposes too. I am learning, that in days of relaxation, I think of Him and His heart, learning to involve Him and say goodbye to private areas of my life. I was glad to have taken the lesson, and really its more blessed to give than to receive, because as i gave my time for preparation and teaching, He blessed me heaps more with insights too. What a steep learning curve to perfection!

Its going to be a long night tonight. Finished work and going to zoom home for a quick dinner of leftovers and zoom back to office for worship practice. Good thing for an effective Monday where i could cook more for the week (save up for days like this, busy but still have storage of food) and caught up on some housework, vacuum, mop, cook wash, all in 2 hrs. Not bad.

Alrighty, gonna zoom off. Cheers.

Rendevous

Ever since i read about Ailing's Nasi Padang in Batam, I started really craving for Rendang. I really miss this place in Rendevous hotel, Singapore. Its this place called Rendevous Hock Lock Kee . This place serves really sumptiouslicious Rendang. My fave is the Chicken Rendang, the Chilli Egg, Sambal Brinjal and Sambal Sotong. It used to be located in City Hall before it moved back to Hotel Rendevous along Bras Basah Road. Pa used to ta bao back for us packs of the food and we will be digging in at the comforts of home. Then when I grew up, I started introducing all my chilli lover friends Yetty and Xiaode to it and we love it. Even people like Jiajia and Vicky who used to only eat the non spicy stuffs got converted there. The Chicken Rendang sauce is those finger lick'in clean kind. We finish every single drop of it. The Brinjal, is smooth and the sambal is so frangrant. Such food makes plain rice taste exceptionally good and every single mouth-ful satisfying. I remembered once when I was back in Singapore for holidays, Pa and I went to order while Ma waited at the table. She was totally shocked to see the amount we ordered. And as usual, we finished every bit. Now my mind is racing madly how i can satisfy my Nasi Padang cravings. This place is a MUST TRY.

'Viviee'

The flu medication i have been taking for the past week makes me so groggy in the morning as if i have been drugged. I can't seem to open my eyes and when i do i can't focus on a single object. I normally try to wake up my mind first by starting to think of the day and what i need to accomplish. This morning, all I could manage was that I will no longer be able to cuddle my baby (Vikkie affectionately known as Viviee) anymore. She has been part of us for the past 14 years and about 1 month. She was a real baby then, and though she aged over the years, she still is our baby. She left us yesterday morning and my dad was sweet enough to relay the news to Kelvin so that he could break the news to me gently which he did with flowers and my fave cake. I am still unsure how to deal with this lost. God is teaching me how.

Let the Race begin ...

I used to sail, run and play table tennis competitively during my schooling days. I enjoy every bit of it, including the strenuous training that leaves me like a dead dog and aching for days no end. I love the games, the races and especially the adrenalin of it, especially Sailing. Before I experienced the greatness of standing in the presence of God, praising Him jumping up and down (I can't beat my dear Hub for that), i thought sailing through the winds must be the best feeling in the world. But, i wouldn't deny that i loved sports and loved the fact that i was fit and had close to boundless energy. I came across some inspiring stories of many sportsmen and women, many of which had limitations or similar backgrounds as I do. Having laid down sports and exercising for a long time, they picked it up again and went beyond their imagination. One said that our human capabilities are beyond our imagination, we are merely restricted by our minds. Although i cannot deny the gradual deteoriation of our physical bodies, i believe too that my body as the temple of God could function a whole lot better being fitter. And my mind could function a whole lot more by stretching it to greater limits. I think Paul makes a lot of point about our spiritual journey as a race, and i once heard too that its a marathon race that keeps running, stretching and persevering. I recalled just a short 2km run last Saturday and the huff and puff i had. i thought i was going to choke to death. My mind was filled with discouragements and i thought i could never get back again. It must be an encouragement from God today to have read those stories. I must have registered once again of God's interest in building perseverance in me that will develop character. I think I will put on my running shoes again, at 27, it's never too late.

Prayer

Remember the note about seeking God and spending time thinking with Him in my previous post? I set aside time and did just that tonight and it's so good. You know God is really keen to communicate with His people! He expanded so much of my thoughts and i feel so refreshed after that. Kel and I have been so busy lately and even when we talk before we sleep, it will be about ministry, house and just some random thoughts about work etc. Just a couple of minutes ago, we suddenly hit on the topic of what God has been speaking to us individually and we were pleasantly surprised that it was on the exact same line of prayer. In fact, God has been tugging my heart in this area and over just the week, praying through almost every single area from personal life to ministry and specific people. I could already sense greater confidence and faith arising. Looking forward to see many breakthroughs around me. I remembered the prophecy given to me few years back about intercession and i am praying that it will be an area i can really grow in. After the short sharing with Kel, i am all the more convinced of what He is doing in our lives. Perhaps this is a season of really growing us to the next point and pray's definitely an essential launching pad. For those reading this, please keep us in prayers too.

A not so Quick Update

I realised the frequency of blog entries have reduced tremendously :) I thought it will be nice for me have a quick update of the youngest and smallest Mok unit. Kel found a job about 3-4 weeks ago and its really a taste of God's faithfulness. We Thank God for His wonderful and timely provision though we drag ourselves out of bed almost every morning. Haha looks like we still have got heaps to get used to especially the 6am mornings. By His grace, we're getting there.

Each week therefore passes by very quickly. Most days i tag along Kel and reach work 7'ish, try to get home earlier on Mondays to get the week set, do up the overflowing laundry, cook (cooking extra for some days of the week so that we don't have to eat out), clean the house, do some groceries check etc etc. Some days of the week i leave later and cook dinner in the morning and hitch a ride back from Kel at about 5.30pm. Other than mondays, most other nights of the week would be mainly meeting up with people for shepherdings, meetings, and worship practices. So Mondays are actually really important, once i can get most household things sorted out, the rest of the week is more of a breeze. Weekends are usually meeting up with people in the morns, some groceries shopping and some R and R time plus preparing of Sundays. Last weekend we had a great JG advance, a good refreshing time with God and the rest of the JGs, a great fun time. And just like that, we have entered into October, less than 2 mths b4 2008.

Rambling on, i realised I havent shared much of the Hub. Kel, is working harder than me, his working hours are longer but God is building platforms of growth for him and he is getting there surely! Ya, he is sometimes a 'dead dog' when he is back but heheh still picks up the handheld vacuum cleaner (thanks mom, it was really helpful!) and cleans up the bathroom and knicks and corners of our tiny aprt. Thank God, its a small place. But ya, shows how much he cares since he knows how i'll start picking up the Vac if i were to spot a couple strands of hair on the floor. He also listened through drooping eye lids for my 30000 quota of words to finish, yes i am one of those who rants on about the day b4 i sleep. Last night, after coming back from a worship prac, i felt like a 50 yr old, back ache, tired and sleepy, he asked me to take a rest while he cleaned up the rest, printed out some stuffs we needed and next he found, i was snoozing away. I half opened my eyes and said i was hungry, and the next moment was ice cream in bed. what a treat :)

Anyway, i think over the weeks, we have learnt to support each other more and i experienced of the concept of 1 + 1 > 2. We shared our thoughts on various matters in ministry, nudged each other when we are detracting, and encouraging each other to be stretched beyond our tents. Its working slowly, but surely. On the whole, God is definitely toughening us up.

So much for an update ... I don't have much pictures to post, most recent is the meal that i whipped up last night. Thank God for a lift from a colleague yesterday, i could get home slightly earlier, whip something up b4 Kel got home and b4 we both headed for our stuffs. I am normally a Chinese food person, but decided on western: Seafood Marinara Fettuccine and Russian Borsht (Estella: remember??)

Borsht - Pork ribs instead of ox-tail

Seafood Marinara Fettuccine with heaps of purple onions that made our breath stink for the night


Last remnants of Borsht for breakfast @ 6.30am. Dunked with Garlic bread which i am still digesting now ... slurp