sprint. stretch. jump.

leaps for 08.

penguins on philip island are seriously adorable little things. (:

just really want to pick one up and give them a tight squeeeezeeeee.

the perthrians have arrived a few days ago. it was good reunion after we parted in sing. (:

so, had a belated christmas dinner over at our place, and it was a good fellowship and food. veggies overload thou. hahas.

suddenly, it feels like singapore all over again.

i guess, God has been revealing to me about myself. and certainly, i was reminded of the teaching in the past, about C.H.A.R.I.S.M.A. Being a charismatic child for God, etc.

what struck me most was about C- Care, and A-Availability. caring for people, and being there physically for them and spending time with them. these, i hope to grow in.

and the Source must be from Him, the pure and flawless source of Love and Strength for each new day.

its really exciting, cos am approaching 2008. time to review resolutions and make some new ones. (:

Jesus and Santa


Santa lives at the North Pole...
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh...
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year...
JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies...
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited...
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.

You have to wait in line to see Santa...
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap...
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?"... JESUS knew our name before we were born. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly...
JESUS has a heart full of love

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO...
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry"...
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."

Santa's little helpers make toys...
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but...
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree...
JESUS became our gift and died on a tree...the cross.

We need to put Christ back in CHRISTmas, Jesus is still the reason for the season.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

with Him, I am more than blessed.

O Holy Night

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

many stars tonight. apt when this song came on 89.9 too. beautiful song on a beautiful night. christmas countdown.

good night.

The words and lyrics of the old carol 'O Holy Night' were written by Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure in 1847. Cappeau was a wine seller by trade but was asked by the parish priest to write a poem for Christmas. He obliged and wrote the beautiful words of the hymn. He then realised that it should have music to accompany the words and he approached his friend Adolphe Charles Adams(1803-1856). He agreed and the music for the poem was therefore composed by Adolphe Charles Adams. Adolphe had attended the Paris conservatoire and forged a brilliant career as a composer. It was translated into English by John Sullivan Dwight (1812-1893).

So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.

-2 Peter 1:5-9 (The Message)

sinner that is dearly loved; imperfect man that is redeemed by a perfect Father.

much thanksgiving.

keep on at it with joy. don't lose another minute. :)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

-Galatians 5:22-25

just learnt that sheng teng and peiru are recently married after reading jasmine's blog! woooo, praise the Lord!

i give thanks for this couple, and was pleasantly surprised about their marriage. :)

still remember the times when i was serving in the pre-tertiary ministry as a young believer; how all of us were in student ministry; how they transited from leading the student ministry to serving in young adults together; how i attended the Word-for-life classes conducted by sheng teng, and sang with peiru in the anniversary choir. the times spent serving in their midst was, and will remain a blessed time.

thank God and believe that God will continue to strengthen this union! :)

A time to celebrate the abounding Love of Jesus as a Church family!

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:

Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly.

- 1 Corinthians 13:13 [The Message]

sometimes.

i don't understand.

and leave myself feeling bothered.

sometimes.

it feels that, my thoughts are wrong.

and probably, i should have taken a step back.

or probably, shouldn't have taken the step forward.

God, please guide me.

arcade-playing. vcd-watching. prayer-meeting. all-you-can-eat@sofias. praise and worship prac. CDS on basic doctrines. cherry-picking w church and friends. got a haircut. learning AboutHOPE. meeting elain. dumplings feast after cg. golfball hitting. some of the happenings for the past 2 weeks. those were the ups. :)

had some downs too. but am glad and relieved, that all is straightened out now. from the experiences, i've learnt much about my personal comfort zones and threshold of things. and i was reminded of an entry from dawn's blog before. and i went to read it again. thought that some parts of that particular entry spoke to me. indeed, some i've learnt, some, learning in process.

i thank God that He is a gracious God. and i thank God for Christ-loving people who gave me grace as well, during times that i was undeserving.

so, a partial excerpt from the blog goes like this:

I've learned that-:

you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned that it's not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do. but to the best you can do.

I've learned that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I've learned that it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.

I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words.

I've learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned that learning to forgive takes practice.

I've learned that there are people who love you dearly, but just don't know how to show it.

I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned that true friendship continues grow even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find strength to help.

so, what have you learned?

they got me to go into this thing after prayer meet, while waiting for the train.

yeah, all famous in melb even before i arrive. haha! Melbourne eXpress. jus like Singapore's TODAY newspaper.

and the tag-line of MX?

pick me up.

Indulgence says, "Drink your way out."

Philosophy says, "Think your way out."

Science says , "Invent your way out."

Communism says, "Strike your way out."

Militarism says, "Fight your way out."

Christ says, "I AM THE WAY OUT!"

-Unknown

TO YOU- Hillsong

Here I stand
Forever in Your mighty hand
Living with Your promise
Written on my heart
I am Yours
Surrendered wholly to You
You set in Your family
Calling me Your own

Now I, I belong to You
Lord I need
Your Spirit, Your word, Your truth
Hear my cry
My deep desire
To know You more

In Your name
I will lift my hands
To the King
This anthem of praise I bring
Heaven knows
I long to love You
With all I am
I belong to You

all belongs to You, Father.

"If you were with Jesus, if you were one of his disciples when he was on Earth, what would you ask him?"

:)

anyway, as i googled upon power of intercessory prayer, chanced upon this interesting blog of a grandmom. blog posts that were enlightening to the heart.

http://pearlsinanutshell.blogspot.com/