My SOT teammates

Today's our dress up day at Bible school! First time we really took pictures since the beginning of class. For those people who haven't been updated with my life, these are the people I've been hanging out with for the past 2.5 months, and my, really great people they are! And without further ado:

So let's begin with my Team leader. Here's Sheryl, and I tell you, she's like the sweetest cell group leader i've seen in church so far! She's a v dedicated, capable person and is gentle to her members. These are one of the people that are soooo nice that you wouldn't dream about hurting or offending them. Haha..

Here are the dudes from my team! Beside me is Willy and Keith and at the center is Hee Wei.
Willy from NUS, going to just grad in a week's time. He's really a great guy to hang around with! Keith's from NTU and haa, he's a really fashionable person as well. Heh.. always got something up his sleeve one (literally). And there's Heewei in the rocking leather blazer and the shiny cap. Heewei's like one of the most giving person I've met, always volunteering to organize stuff and offering to bless people!

Here's 3 pretty ladies from my team as well. From the left: Chew Yan, Myrna and my cell leader, Mingli.

Chew Yan's from SMU too, though one batch later than me. She's a really sweet girl and I see, photogenic too! To CY: Let's see revival in SMU!

Myrna's from NUS, and she's one of the more fashionable people around. And her fav food: Lor Mee. Hahaha..

Mingli, well.. used to be from NUS. My cell leader =) Needs no further introduction...Haha

Here's me and Chew Yan again, but on the right is Jacqueline. She's the church sign language interpreter and my, she can translate really well! I'm like her disciple now, everyday I'll learn a few sign language words from her! Now I know the signs for words like: Good Morning, Hi and simple sentences like: What's your name? I'm aiming to learn to do sign language for one whole song before I graduate from Bible school!

Here's Vicky with me! She's a youth worker/leader from New Life Church in Taiwan! Vicky's pregnant but she's still here in Singapore studying the Word everyday! Talk about dedication!Too bad didn't get a picture with her husband as well, think he was preparing to play the drums for the session later...

Here's Estelle in the center with me and Keith on the sides. Estelle's someone which I feel I can click quite well with; always like got alot to talk about with her one. Haha.. also gonna graduate from NUS to go teaching at NIE after Bible school! Jia you! Be salt and light!

Here's Howard and me. Howard's going into Uni this year; He's a very 'steady' kinda guy, the kind you can really depend on. He just became a cell group leader, and he's really zai. I look at the way he plays host to our international students from Korea and Taiwan. He's just amazing la. I'm really challenged to be more open and more hospitable with them.

Here's Marcus. Marcus' been in church for many years now, think 15. I'm really appreciative that he offers to send me home from Bible school everyday. He saves me like 45 mins daily and I really learn alot from him during our time in the car. He's my dad's age and he's got lots of life experiences to share so I'm always open to listening to his sharing and advice.

Here's Leila! She's from NUS this year. Also another really sweet girl that I can talk to and joke with very easily. She's a cell group leader as well and takes care of over 30 kids. Her cell members are all very cute. Haha...

Here's Jody, she's one of the nominees of Best Dressed in Emerge, and she won the Hosting Challenge. She's a cell group leader too, and waiting to go into Uni this year.

Here's Kim. Kim's our friend from Korea. He's currently a school teacher but intends to go into full time ministry once he graduates.He's having a little challenge adapting to our church's culture, but I think he feels most welcome here!

So there you go, here are some of my team-mates in Bible school. I really enjoy their company. And I really appreciate the fact that I'm in the company of these people. I'm really humbled by their character, dedication and discipline, especially with the cell group leaders. The cell leaders are like the backbone of the 23,000 strong church.

And there's just this certain level of trust we have with one another even from the first day, I love that fact and although we all live in this world where people curse, cheat, lie and what not, but in there its like a different world. Though bad things do happen sometimes like people do get offended on certain issues, but forgiveness is never a problem =) It's like a foretaste of heaven.. Ha..

I'm constantly challenged to be better everyday there. It's really through the interactions, through observation of their lives, through the tiring days that I begin to see my own flaws and areas that I can improve on.

I'm going to miss this life once school begins, but there's alot to look forward in school too!

Shopping 101

Recently been learning to shop.. Hahh

Sunday: Went around Bugis junction with my cell group people. It was just window shopping that day.

Monday: Started from 230 pm or so: Went around with my Bible school friends: Willy, Estelle, Mingli and Hee Wei, from Plaza Sing, then we went Far East.

And then at 630 pm went with Mingli to meet Mel and we shopped at Bugis Street.

I bought 2 T-shirts, 1 shirt, 1 pair of jeans and a belt with a nice buckle. That's like the most I EVER bought in any shopping trip. Shopping is tiring!!

Anyway it's good la, to have two of them to decide whether certain clothes are suitable for me. Honestly I don't have experience in what's nice and not nice. Through listening and observing I think I picked a few pointers on shopping. Haha...

Tuesday: Went to Raffles City and Suntec with Yuching and Leonard. Leonard had vouchers to spend. I was observing certain clothes and combinations while Leonard was trying them on. I think my endurance for shopping increase after these 3 days already!

Okay la, I think I'm going to become less of a shopping idiot next time. Thank God for that. Haha.

You know you're getting old when...

Your dad asks your if you have a girlfriend.

When I was playing computer game yesterday, my father sitting across the table suddenly asked me if I had a girlfriend.

The conversation went like that ( In Chinese)..

Dad: Do you have a girlfriend already?

Me(Focusing on game, takes down headphone): Huh?

Dad: Do you have a girlfriend already?

Me: Err.. No.

Dad (In a serious tone): Why not?

Me: No then no loh...

Dad: Now's a good time to get a girlfriend. When you graduate there's not really much chance for you to find a good girlfriend at your workplace. You know that having a girlfriend helps you to become more mature you know?

Me (Focusing on game): Orh.

Dad ( Slightly exasperated tone): How come still don't have girlfriend? It's nothing to be ashamed about you know. You're of age already.

Me: I know it's nothing to be ashamed about. I really don't have.

Dad: How come? What's wrong? ( And he was really thinking there might be a problem)

Me: Nothing loh, don't have means don't have loh.( Darn, I should have said cos he don't give me enough allowance to mantain one. then maybe can get allowance raise... Haha)

so funny. It seems that for most people its their parents objecting to them having a girlfriend when they're studying in sec or JC. But now for me it's my dad( and my grandma too) who chui-s me to have a girlfriend. Haha. Aiya the time will come la, now wait can! lol. Girlfriend where can anyhow choose one. For life leh. Don't play play.

Do remind me to ask for allowance raise the next time he asks. =P.

But on a more serious note, I really think choosing a girlfriend is very critical to our future. The person we open up our heart and our life to must be someone who is totally trustworthy . Often I see people giving their hearts to the wrong person; not only they spend lots of time and money for no end, and after the break-up, weeks of crying and what nonsense. Waste time. Then for some even got hate mail la, all the nonsense...

And all these trouble can be saved if we know what we're supposed to look for. And be discerning when we choose; not based on feelings only but also on certain criteria that must be met. In the end we can be attracted to anyone we're close to for a period of time. What must make the difference is the requirement we know this person must meet.

And of cos la, must ask yourself if you're ready for one. Ready to give up your time and money for the person or not? Ready to be responsible for another's needs above your own not? A relationship based on meeting your own selfish desires or needs won't last long. We should be in one ready to give, not to take.

Anyway I personally don't feel like now is the right time for me. Wait loh. The right time is when the right girl comes along. Haha. No hurry la...singlehood can be quite a blessing too!

Emerge Day 3 Jesus and Simon Peter: Love

1. Spent Saturday morning helping out at the church bookstore. Went to watch the basketball match between Singapore and Taiwan. Liu Geng Hong was playing for Taiwan and my, he's good! Haha, and I bet they didn't dare to be too violent with Geng Hong.. haha, after all he was performing at night.

Singapore won 49-39 in the end.

2. Captain's Ball: My SMU Captain's Ball team with Eugene, Xinghong, Daniel, Chew Yan, Michelle and Suat Wei. We got trashed 6-2 by a JC team. Haha but well, they were sports people while most of us are professional muggers so I didn't expect much and summore totally ZERO practice. But it's really great to spend time with them =), though all not very familiar with one another, but I enjoy their company.

3. Pastor interviewed Wahju, a super big businessman in our church. He's really an inspiration to me. Like alot of wealthy people, he started from humble beginnings like doing labor work and managing a mamak store kinda thing. He reminds me never to despise anything im doing now. Everything starts from the seed. I want to be like him someday, where I can have the influence to effect change in the business world and set the moral standards in the office. As Pastor says, the power to validate is the power to define. I want to do away with office politics like how Wahju does it in the office. And also, to have the influence to help the poor in our society today. We can make a difference.

As Wahju says, when we are fruitful, then whatever we ask in His name will be done for us!

4. Liu Geng Hong performed. Haha.. though I'm not familiar with him, but his songs are really not bad. He said he's doing a basketball movie with Jay Chou and will be released next year. And guess what? He gave a stunner to the whole church at his last song!

During the last part of his song, he went down from stage and took his fiancee's hand and sang to her. And then He proposed!!!!! OMG. In front of 9000 people. How can the girl say no.. lol
But it must be like every girl's dream to be proposed to like that.

5. Sun shared a little about her work in China. She's like a role model to all of us. Alot of people criticized her for her entrance into pop culture, but not many understand her heart. With her influence now, she does so much community work in China and is a positive role model to alot of people in the Chinese speaking world. I'm glad the world has good role models to look to. I'm always touched and inspired when I hear her story... God gave her a vision at 16 years old when she was praying, and truly she's come so far now after years and years of toiling and amidst all the harsh criticism. Praise the Lord for people like her! Let's walk worthy of the heavenly calling ourselves!

6. Pastor shared about Simon Peter and Jesus by the sea. Abide faith, hope and love, but the greatest is love! We can serve, we can have a vision, we can have faith, but without love, we are nothing.

Do you love me more than all that this life can give?

Emerge Day 2 Gideon: Taking responsiblity

1. Pastor recaped on the Cultural Mandate; something that God had ordained from the beginning in Genesis, exemplified by people like Joseph, Daniel, Esther, Jesus, Paul.. Preached by people like St Augustine, John Calvin, and so on... We are made in the image of the most creative Person, and we too have the potential to be very creative people!

2. Diya and Darren, the winners of Project Superstar came to perform! Haha I didn't know both of them were Christians too! Basically pastor invited them to share with the youths about not being afraid to go for their dreams! You have one life to live, live it for God! I forgot whether it was Diya or Pastor who said that. Haha.. Praise the Lord, better role models for the young people to emulate. =)

3. Pastor's night message was about Gideon. About stepping out to take responsibility when we have to. We must rise up to take responsiblity of the things around us. God has a higher opinion of us than we have of ourselves. We must go in the little strength that we have, and do what God has called us to do. As pastor put it, there will always be someone who's more qualified, more able, more talented than you to do it, but God called you to do it. So just do it. lol.

Emerge Day 1: The Power of One

Pic from www.emerge.sg

4 days of Emerge! Although it's already all over, let me do it as my friend calls it: backblogging Haha. Emerge is a youth conference held by my church annually. It's a conference set on empower youths to go out there and strive for their dreams and to reach out for the glory of God! I think this year we've got about 1800 delegates from all over Asia.
What a great time! So let me recap..

1. Pastor preached about the power of one. He used the story of Shamgar; about how one man took down 600 Philstines one by one to deliver Israel. In short, there's really nothing we cannot do as one. If we have a dream from God, there's no one that can stop us from achieving it, for with God, we are the majority. There will always be people who will criticise, laugh, mock at us (The jeering spectators, I call them) when we want to do great things for God; in fact I got quite abit now, from family and friends, and sometimes those closest to us can hurt us the most. But our reward is in Heaven =)

2. Word power. =( Got 4th this year. Rooster crowed twice! Not 3 times! Ahhhhh.. ( For those who read the Bible, you'd know what I'm talking about). I thought that was the crucial question we got wrong. Ah well. Next year! I'll never stop till I win it! Cannot let the Indonesians win all the time! Two years in a row the Indos from NTU win already! Too much! Haha...
But well, we got 50 bucks Taka vouchers. Better than nothing lah.. Can do abit of shopping.

3. Fei-Er from F.I.R came down to join us for service. Seems that she was really touched by God in Taiwan. She wanted to perform for us, but management say must pay $$$. Too expensive! Haha...

4. Pastor preached on spiritual hunger from the story of Jacob. We can be the most flawed person in the world, but yet what God wants from us is not sinless perfection. He wants a heart after Him, and that's what matters to Him. As pastor put it, I will not let you go unless you bless me, I’d rather walk with a limp for the rest of my life and be strong with You on the inside, than appear strong on the outside.
Well, it was a great first night!