Escapism in the modern world

How many times have you found yourself retreating into your Nokia 6100 just to evade the need to come up with something creative to PR with someone, or to avoid looking stupid at a party where you hardly know anyone? Unless you are Amish or you've never owned a computer in your entire life, I'm pretty sure that sometime or another you would have done that.  I mean, who wouldn't agree that it's better to look busy and engaged, rather than to appear like a socially-awkward loser. It's such a convenient escape!

Survey the surrounding when you take the bus or sit in the MRT cabin, and you'll find that it's not hard to spot someone plugged into something, whether it's a IPod Shuffle or a Blue tooth hands free. Sometimes in the mornings when I manage to squeeze up the bus, I can easily pick out six people with earphones in their ears. And now I'm one of them (just joined the community with my rather new IPod Nano), and I'm so addicted to my mini jukebox too!

I was almost pressed against the window of the MRT train this afternoon as I was going back to the office from lunch (don't ask me what time was that though, everyone was rushing back to work). And as I was trying to find my balance in the area near the door. Beside me was this rather elderly lady leaning on the glass panel, who was peering into my IPod Nano as I adjusted some setting. Somehow I felt like I was being observed and I stole a quick glance at her intrigued expression. And I wondered how the elderly feel in today's society where everyone's so preoccupied with the latest handphones and electronic devices. It's so difficult not to notice this new phenomenon. Do they feel alienated from the younger generations whose conversations hardly deviate from computer jargon and the latest electronic deals? How do they feel having to learn how to use PDAs to take orders, if they wanted to work at MacDonalds? This related to the whole movement to encourage lifelong employment? Just musing over this; don't mind the digression.

Whatever it is, technology is such an amazing thing. Such ambivalence I have towards it; to like or not to like? On one hand, I see it happening already. People hibernating online (or rather in their rooms, on the computer) because they are bored and have nothing to do. We have become such sticklers for constant stimulation. We end up seeking it in places which causes us to lose touch with the soft skills of communicating with people face-to-face. We retreat into our mobile phones just like how a child refuses to go to school because he hasn't done his homework. After a while the lack of practice may degrade into reclusiveness and social anxiety. Of course I refer to extreme cases where one's only friend is either a "Rock" named Joe (no offense to people called Joe or have Jo in their names--my dad's Jo too!), or have a virtual girlfriend named Zoe (no offense to fans of Zoe Tay either; it's just a random name from my brain). 

On the other hand, I'm so enamored by things like Facebook, and of course, my latest MAC Notebook!!! Online messengers and communication tools have the ability to connect you to your long-lost primary school friend and even that stubby ex-girlfriend of yours who has became a top supermodel. It's remarkable how you get to see how people have changed over the years. I've digressed again. If this were a GP essay, I'd probably get zero for not addressing the topic given. 

I guess as technology advances we find ourselves relinquishing old skills and having to navigate through a set of new skills which even the experts have not figured out. The psychology behind internet communication, the psychology of social perception of gadgets and their effects, the psychology of online etiquette, etc. (all psychology...bet you detect the love for psychology eh). And many young people who are so entrenched in the business of technology either find themselves floundering in the sea of a "gadgets arm-race", or spotting the latest devices and their accessories in a bid to look cool. But what I find most troubling is the sad fact that many, even myself, use technology to evade the very things that we should tackle head-on.  

~Facebook Fan

I'm twenty-five today!

Whoa...a quarter of my lifespan just flew pass me! Feel so captive to the carousel of time. No return but only looking back at how I've been living my life. And I can never feel happier where I am now because I got nothing to complain about. The favour and blessings from the Lord are more than enough for me. I survived the stormy years of teenage life and young adulthood, and I'm all gird up to take on more in the next few years. Praise God!

Actually, for the past 25 years of my life, I've never really perceived my birthday to be a special occassion. For many of the years, it just came and went. If you ask me how I celebrated my sweet sixteen or 21st birthday, I really cannot give you any answer. My memory of those times is simply fuzzy. When I was young, I remember that my mummy would come back from work with a birthday cake on that day, and we would all hover around the cake that night, and sing a birthday song and cut the birthday cake. She used to buy those creamy sponge cakes that you get from the neighbourhood bakeries; and there would always be the "Happy Birthday, Charlene" written in icing on the top of the cake. I would blow the candles and cut the cake. There won't be any presents cos' I would have exhausted all my "gift privileges" before October (I would beg my mum to buy me the latest toys as my birthday or Xmas presents in advance). Those were the days. We stopped doing the cake thing for some time. Nowadays, we do dinners minus the cake (heh, unless it comes free with some bday discount; but rarely do we do the blowing of candles ritual at home). I have never had one of those MacDonald's parties. It was something every kid wanted for their birthdays (the 80s babies esp would agree with this), including me. It would sure be weird to have one now though. Hmm...still can't figure out why everyone was so crazy about it then.

Today, though, was rather special. And I'm recording this because I want to capture this and remember this in the future. When the clock struck 12 the night before, I started receiving several SMSes with birthday greetings. Subsequently, the next day I received more SMSes and some birthday messages and virtual gifts on facebook and friendster (the beauty of electronic media and birthday reminders...haha, can save money on bday gifts too =) sincere nonetheless =)). Dolled up and clad in the most youthful-looking top in my wardrobe, bright and cheery, I took off to Vivo for main service at ten-ish. Fast forward to after service: I received a huge sunflower stock from me beloved youths. Really pleasant surprise cos' I thought they wouldn't have known (again, the beauty of bday reminders and friendster). That in itself had me grinning from ear-to-ear as I navigated the walkways of vivo after service with my sunflower and invited stares from people strolling through the mall. After that, had a nice lunch at Beach Road and got my fix of Ah Balling which I've been craving for a few weeks now.

Unsuspecting, I went back to church after lunch. Everything seemed normal. Did back-up for youth service--Jer is getting so smooth as a worship-leader, so proud of him!--and we breaked to discuss our skits. All this while, I was oblivious to the "conspiracy" that was brewing in the next room. Different ones took turns to present their skits. Then our cast for the last skit (which was "save for the last" in EQ's words) took to the stage. Again, everything started per normal, and nothing was peculiar. I was anticipating Tine's defining moment---her most "deh" performance, but it didn't come. Instead, this cheeky girl got a few members from the audience up onstage to check out this red box that she was holding. She gestured to me to join her and peek into this box, and then she urged me to open it. As I opened it, everyone started singing "happy birthday!" This "naughty" bunch had hidden this scrap book they made for me in the box!! Ok, for those of you who were there, you probably get the picture of what I'm recording here. For those of you who are simply clueless about what I'm trying to say (which is really ineffable or difficult to express in words), the bottomline is, I was, in Ashton Kutcher's words "punked" heh. It was really unexpected. Me being the cry baby I am, was touched to tears instantly. Ern, Ja and Bell said some sweet things that made it even harder to turn off the tap. These "crazy" kids (and I mean it in love, affection and jest =)), had spent so much time, effort and monies making this scrap book. They even pasted my picture (which was taken of me holding the sunflower which Ram took for me in the morning) on the cover page. That was an enormous suprise and one of the best birthday gifts ever! Thanks guys!

There were actually more suprises after that (skilfully crafted I must say)....hehe but I won't be divulging much here. The guru will prob not be pleased if any trade secrets were readily disclosed to others ;) All you guys @ church are great at creating surprises! Besides, it's now 1 am and my birthday is over! Gotta go to work tomorrow too. All I can say is that, the gifts I got today were given with much love and warmth. I may be older today, but I'm just so glad that my last 25 years have been worthwhile. The SMSes, well-wishes, hugs, and gifts speak volumes of God's favour upon me. Praise God forever and ever, Amen!

---<@~Farewell SIBERIA~@>---

So long, farewell, are we to bid Adieu....

Siberia's destiny finally cast in stone...After fighting valiantly the battle of dwindling numbers, she succumbed to the pernicious force of migration. One by one, the deadly blows struck her. First, the flight of our longtime president to the greener (or grayer) pastures of Laughborough. The loss of leadership marked the disintegration of the flourishing county. Next, our honey bee decided to shift her colony to the bustling town. Shortly after, Othello's love packed her turtles, big and small, and shipped them to the town. Apparently, she secured the last and most coveted plot of land (just within the perimeters of the town). With one remaining inhabitant, Siberia officially announced its closure. The vibrance has dissipated into desolation. Once in a while, travellers will saunter down the thoroughfare to seek a sip from the well. What's left is only that picture taken in her prime and beautiful memories for her alumni to savour. We mourn now, but we rejoice at the birth of a new age, one more brilliant than its preantecedent.

~the lone ranger

EVAN ALMIGHTY

Went to watch this movie at GV Marina last night. Despite the lackluster reviews, decided that it was a show I originally wanted to watch cos of its biblical relevance and cos' Steve Carell's such a cool actor, and of course on a Fri night when every other show seems to be fullhouse, that seemed like the next best alternative.

It didn't disappoint me however. In fact, I was pleasantly enthused by the lessons I caught from the show. I could empathise with Carell's Evan Baxter cos' he had to do what he had to in faith (well, God didn't give him a choice I guess). But the amazing thing was God was that each step and provided him with everything he needed to perform the task he was called to do.

Nonethless, the greatest challenge (and hence most significant learning point of the show for me) was dealing with a world that not only lacked the understanding he had, but also antagonised and taunted him. Though I haven't been placed in such extreme circumstances, it made me ponder over my ability to stand the test if the situation arises. The Christian road was never meant to be easy and even now I do face challenges occassionally (and I do fall very often!) Still, I felt kinda emotional watching this comedy cos' it reminded me about this calling we have to stand by and persist in our faith in this faithless world.

Anyway, the jokes were pretty good and had me chuckling quite a bit. Steve Carell did not let me down. He was amusing as the prim and almost to the extent obsessively compulsive Evan Baxter. Some of the funnier moments were his transformation into the likeness of old testament Noah (haha....became one of the Beetles), his accident prone behaviours during the construction scenes, and of course who could forget his shaving ritual--the part where he shaves his nose hair three to four times using various methods...whoa! Heh, maybe I should get one of those nose shavers from Mustafa as Xmas presents for my guys friends come Dec. His African American exec assistant, Rita, was hillarious as well. She makes the funniest comments. Not to mention the spectacular scenes of the ark and the animals just following him around (the fish one was exceptionally funny). I thought it was a great comedy actually.

Just a quote that was pretty insightful and impactful:

God talking to Joan Baxter (Evan's wife):

Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?

May it encourage those who are going through struggles in their Christian walk or feeling that their prayers have not been answered.

Frazzled mind...

It's been a while since I journalled about my life. The past few entries had been figments of my aspirations to be a voice to certain issues close to my heart. And it has been a while since I really slowed down to reflect on my own thoughts. Largely due to the wearing and hectic life I've been leading recently I guess. Especially so for these past two days which have been exhaustingly eventful...but still not as so as my cognitive world...

Thursday, 16 Aug 07
Yesterday, I missed the office retreat so I'm kinda clueless what transpired. Good thing or bad thing I don't know. But anyway, while everyone was enjoying the day out of office and playing their captain's ball, I was stuck in an unfamiliar building doing the gruelling and ponderous GRE test for 4 hours! My mind frazzled...it was fried. As I did the first math test, I started to realise I had insufficient time and I started to tikam. It was then that I felt a deluge of anguish just come over me. I knew it was a goner! In that state of distress, I forced myself to sit through three more tests (one verbal and one more math), even though there was this intense inner voice telling me to run out of the examination room. After that four-hour torture I braced myself to face the uneluctable truth. And as expected, I didn't do well enough on my math (surprisingly my verbal did pretty good even though I tikamed for quite a few...haha...maybe if I did it seriously I would have gotten them wrong...). So that means that I have to endure the whole process again be getting another re-rest. Sighs...all this for the sake of grad school. Pay money, go back to mugging, plead with people to write referee letter for me...all to pursue a dream that would expend five more years of my youth on studying! Hmmm....worthwhile? I really don't know whether I would ever make it to the States next year but I keeping the faith and believing that God will lead the way---for better or worse to me but definitely the best in God's plan for me. No matter how tough and minute the chance may be, I think it's worth a fight, to try and overcome all odds and make it to grad school in US.

Friday, 17 August 07
After that tedious task, I went to chalet to meet the gals from work. Just a nice cool clique that was comfortable to be with. After bantering for a while, we went to bed like all sensible working adults do (can you believe that, we were at a chalet....go chalet supposed to stay up late and have fun rite...) cos' the next morn we had to conduct the retreat activties for everyone else. Most of us ended up with poor sleep. Some of us were wide awake in our beds not knowing that we were all going thru that same battle with sleeplessness...and the warm temperature in the room cos' the air-con was on fan mode! We woke up to a rainy morning, which was the prelude to the dismal weather that dampened our moods, and almost disrupted our BBQ plans in the evening. Anyway, we got through the day's events but me and the gals were super exhausted from the execution of the retreat programme. Conducting the games was especially tiring cos' we had to constantly ra-ra everyone, but thank God it was a spontaneous and lively group that we were working with. Fortunately, the rain didn't spoil the fun! There were so many hillarious moments and people were sporting enough to perform their forfeits and buffoon around with their weird antics. Put a group of people with the forensic mind together in a room and what do you think will brew?

The BBQ went on despite the rain. Kudos to the guys who braved the rain to start the fire. The beng kan team went forth to barbeque the food under my umbrellas which smell very strongly of BBQ food now. Some of us were microwaving the uncooked food to reduce the amount of barbequeing time at the pit. Everything went on fine in spite of the hiccups in the poor weather. Phew! We all managed to eat our fill and there were some leftovers.

But I guess to me, the most memorable and heartening thing was being able to bond and have some close chats with several people during the retreat. Some were just touch-and-go, but I felt the ingenuity and sincerity in those conversations. Not just the usual office PR that we all engage in at work five days a week. I mean, we don't have the luxury of time to share facets of our lives with each other at work. But it was just nice being able to do that out of office, at a chalet.

Though we sometimes complain about work, and sometimes I do admit that I wish I were doing more psych-related work elsewhere, it's hard to imagine life without ever having to step back into office and seeing these faces that have become so familiar to me and have formed such a huge part of my life. And now as some people are leaving, office life is going to change and it's going to become an unfamiliarity again that needs some time for us to warm up to....to the fact that we're not going to be hearing the "anybody there?" ringtone for some time...to the fact that there's going to be an empty room...no one herding us to go for lunch and keeping a lookout for us at that critical hour where people are jioing everyone else...to the fact that we have fewer people to bitch about our problems to...the familiar mugs and office stuff that are going to be packed in boxes and brought away...sighs....need I say more?

Well, even then, I'm glad for these changes. I'm joyful for these people cos' great things are in store for them. It's always with a sweet bitterness that you bid farewell, but you also know that somewhere, somehow, when you meet, that nostalgia will just gush in and you'll find tremendous thrill in speaking about the good ole days! These are facts of life that we deal with. And as we grow older, we encounter more and more of such happenings. Life as a teenager was much simpler...not jaded by the real world, freshly loaded with aspirations and zest for life cos' you think that you can accomplish everything you want, and your youth is your strongest currency. As you age, you learn to appreciate friendships cos' it gets harder and harder to even meet up at Starbuck's for a latte together on a Saturday afternoon, unlike in a classroom where you die die must meet up everyday for school.

Enough musing for now...getting poigant liao. My frazzled mind needs some restful sleep. Pray that God will send amazing things into our lives and bless these friendships that have been divinely formed. God has great plans for all of us. We just need to trust and obey for there's no other way. Amen!

SLEEP, THE FIRST TO GO!

Neil Humphreys’ article (“Ah, those short wonder years”) featured on 29 July 2007 struck a chord with me. In particular, the line “But you cannot buy back a childhood” summoned a sense of regret as I looked back on my ‘not-so-wonder’ years. I hate to admit it but I was an honorary member of the ‘Go-home society’, where student life was relegated simply to studying non-stop, and social life and fun were nil.

As the load they have to bear on their shoulders grows, our students struggle to prioritise between increasing demands, against the backdrop of an unchanging 24 hours per day. At a young age, they are being compelled to perfect this balancing act, which is not a bad thing I suppose. It does gear them for the future. However, sadly speaking, many of them are unable to achieve that healthy equilibrium, and some end up failing at a costly price.

A recent Teen Sleep Survey conducted locally this year showed that our teenagers were not getting sufficient sleep. Eighty per cent of students polled slept for less than eight hours on school days, and a whooping 66.5 per cent were up late doing homework or studying. Given the insidious effects of sleep deprivation on growth and intellectual functioning, this should sound an alarm. With numerous obligations to fulfil, it is not surprising that sleep is often the first sacred cow to be sacrificed in a mad rush for time.

Rising stress is a reality we cannot escape today. Hence, teaching and helping our students prioritise becomes imperative. Long term consequences such as poor mental health and life dissatisfaction are often neglected in the pursuit of short-term goals like a report card with straight ‘A’s. Parents and educators need to be aware that they sometimes can become transmitters of unhealthy or rigid expectations. Poor sleep compounded by high expectations imposed on oneself, can actually form a fertile ground for the development of depressive disorders. Perhaps that is why more people are having Depression and sleep problems nowadays. This is something for us to mull over.

On a mission to CARE...

HI everyone, the concept of "care" has been on my mind quite a bit. Basically, I'm interested to know the following:

1. Why do people care? Why don't people care?
2. What would make them care?
3. How to make them care?
4. When do people care?
5. Do we care too much sometimes?
6. How does caring lead to benevolent actions?
.
..
...
....

Do leave me some thoughts if you do have any ideas...

Never outdated - The Holy Bible's lasting appeal!

As I read the bible more and attend more bible teachings, it just amazes me how this book which was probably written eons way way back can be so incredibly relevant and applicable even in our modern society today. Just two points I want to share that I've been enlightened towards as I read the old testament:

1. The MULTI-TASKING wonder woman of the old testament

Attended this bible conference over the past 2 nights organised by RBC Ministries (Singapore). Came to know of this through the mailer and I straightaway blocked out the 2 dates on my calendar and committed myself to attending this conference. The theme was "Making Choice Choices" and the speaker was one of ODB's very own writers, Prof Alice Matthews (an amazingly gifted woman of God who's 77 this year and still speaks with so much projection and fervour).

In one of her sermons on Judges 4 and 6 last night, she spoke of Deborah the prophetess. I just completed that book recently, so some of the stories were still fresh in my mind. But what was truly remarkable was that though little was mentioned about Deborah, this admirable woman of God, Matthews was able to extract such powerful lessons we can learn from that little amount of info. It just accentuates the richness of biblical text that subtly conveys many useful and life transforming messages that the layperson will fail to see. Well, guess that's debatable cos' the magic of the bible maybe comes in how God touches us at that point as we feast on His word and how he touches and reveals to us certain things. But anyway, she drew so much from that and I really gleaned a lot of wisdom.

Anyway, back to Deborah...In Judges 4:4, it says:

"Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time."

From this simple line, you can see that this woman was first someone gifted with the talent of prophesy which she accepted and used for the glory of God (MINISTRY). Second, she was the wife of Lappidoth; she had a family and in those days women had to fulfill many traditional duties as a wife and mother (WIFE). Thirdly, she was a Judge, someone who spoke God's word to the people and ensured that the people of Israel were accorded their rightful justice; she was a public servant and military leader (CAREER). The order speaks for itself--the order of priority these roles should take in our lives. Just in this one line, it shows how she weighed her priorities and how we can learn from women in the old testament. They were not all housewives, they were women who had to face the same difficulties and role conflicts as we do today. And Deborah, a woman of faith, displayed her strength and commitment to God in the way she accepted her gifts and used them but also relied on God's empowerment and truth. She was strong in character and personality. This was a woman that the millenial ladies of Christ can learn from!

2. Where are the MEMORIALS today?

As I did my Quiet Time this morning, a point was brought up to me among the notes in my study bible. The gist of it reflected how modern people can stand to gain from establishing memorials in our lives as God granted us victories and miracles. In the old testament, we read about the people of Israel laying rocks and building altars to extol the wonders of God and how He faithfully helped them overcome all odds and win the battles they had fought. And we go..."What does that God to do with us?" The fact that such instances have been repeated so many times as we read the old testament means that something is important there--something that is worth our reading and learning.

Many times we go through difficult patches of our life wondering where God is. What we fail to dwell on (since we end up spending our mental resources focusing on our current difficulties and stresses and just seeking some form of deliverance from God) is our past victories--how God restored us or delivered us in the past. Many of us can't remember those things but what we can learn is that when we recall those fulfilled promises we are encouraged and strengthened. We stand to gain from establishing memorials. Be it a journal or blog(;p) entry about our victories which we can fall back on in times of need, or perhaps a photograph of a successful event in our ministry. These can really remind us and encourage us in our times of need. But most importantly, they always help us remember that God is the source of our strength. Without God's power we could never make it through on our own. In this way, we honour Him as we "build these memorials" and strengthen ourselves as we recall past glories.

So who says that the bible is outmoded and irrelevant? In my opinion, it's the best self improvement and management book that is applicable across all contexts and life situations. Everyone can stand to gain from its wisdom. Everyday as we read His word it teaches us to be better managers of our lives and helps us to grow and become more and more like Him. Amen to that!

AWARENESS is not enough...
We need to have CARE-NESS!

Just a line that popped in my puny brain when I was jogging today--10km can you believe that, I must be a bit siao.

Thought of the LIVE EARTH programme that was screening and sorry for saying this but I felt rather cynical. I think we all are aware of the need to save the environment and we all know what little bit we can do. But I think we just don't act cos' we just don't care--or at least many of us just lack that care. It is because we care for something then we feel motivated to do something about it. The challenge then would be to instill this care such that people will be spurred on to make a difference. How do we induce care???

Anyways...will mull over this. In the meantime, just to take a trip down memory lane--for those of us living in that era:

http://www.care-bears.com/CareBears/html/index.html
http://www.care-bears.com/CareBears/html/about/index.html (description of bears)

My fave's Funshine Bear!

Cheers!

Bonding with the car...

Call it an "unusal family project"--in my sister's terms--but it was through thick and thin that our whole family got involved in this fiasco with a tiny screw that my mum accidentally dropped into one of the hidden compartments below the car bonnet. What a terror that little cap that belonged to the car battery system (you know one of those yellow caps that you get so irritated with everytime cos' you gotta unscrew them one by one to fill the battery water and then screw them back one by one again)! Y'know maybe someone should rethink the design of this whole devise. But anyway, just to pre-empt anyone going to top up the battery water--please exercise the ultimate most level of care or you'll find yourself in a huge pickle...perhaps much worse than us. I must say we were pretty resourceful with the ideas and our dexterity was intact and tip top to handle this fiercesome task! For those of you who don't know nuts about cars...let's just say this go to the mechanic or kiosk to get your fluids and stuff checked--never attempt anything at home! For those of you who are more garang and willing to get your hands dirty, please place your battery caps in a safe place lest they fall into the deep and dark corners of the compartments below the bonnet.

But anyway, 'nuff said about the bloomin' car. It was truly a family bonding session, I guess. Bit like a modified version of a Twister game--y'know the one where everyone contorts their limbs and trunks. No, please don't go away with the idea that dropping a battery cap is the way to go. I'm just saying that...to look at this in a positive light would be to see this as our family bonding session. In Christian terms, we were really like the body of Christ. Each one of us played a critical role in getting that little fella to budge. My dad, the incident commander, led us through the ordeal of trying all sorts--the best method we conclude is masking tape on a measuring tape and loads of sweat and steady arms. My mum was the logistician, supplying us with all the odds and ends--our ammunition--to pull that fella out. She ran up and downstairs to get whatever we requested--must have lost a lot of weight! My sis, the one with the tiniest hands, secured us the entry. She made sure the wires were pulled to a corner so my dad could carefully remove the cap without obstruction. And I, the youngest, put my steady arms and hands to good use by holding onto the torchlight, giving my dad and sis a good shot of the enemy. Let there be light, AMEN! Those few moments we hauled the fella out were analogous to detonating a bomb man!

After a series of unsuccessful trials and errors, we eventually saw the victory...oh sweet ole victory! It surrendered, that stubborn little fella! The learning lessons besides the annoying thing about car battery caps?

1. God is great! He uses the weirdest scenarios to bring us together to do the most absurd things. Endurance, concentration and throwing in all sorts of plausible ideas, I must say our family is pretty good at fixing problems and teamwork!

2. There's always a purpose for everything. Someone just had to be the one who got us into that situation. In this case, my mum was the one who dropped the cap, but anyone could have done so. I could easily argue that I was responsible cos' I drive the car most often and I should be maintaining it on my own. We could all fight to take the blame, but the bottomline is to move on and see the bigger picture---yep, our family project.

3. Family is one of God's greatest gifts to us. Though we gripe about getting into this "shithole", it is through such incidents where you realise that no matter what, your family members are always so willing to get you out of the "shithole". I remember that since young I have been jinxed when it came to technical stuff and art. My sis would always help me with both, like the time when my cassette tape got stuck in the player (years back man) or I did something horrid to the OS of the PC. Sure, there were one or two utters of complaint but it was always with a willing heart that she got me out of trouble before I met with serious trouble from my parents. And oh yah, my mum who would lovingly help me with my art and home econs! So family is one of the most reliable things one can have in the world!

Truly God rules and He's got the most CREATivity...that's why He's the CREATor. An "unusual family project" no doubt about that.

John 1:1-2 says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning."

The word became flesh; God’s perfect revelation of Himself in the flesh.

Went to church tonight for RE-IGNITE (Youth Praise & Worship) and had an awesome time in God's presence and among His people. When I was worshippping in the service, just felt the word of God descend upon me...

Jesus is the word
If we want to imitate Christ
We need to be like the word of God
That means that we need to be acquainted with the word

If we love Jesus
We need to love the word because Jesus is the word
The word tells us how to be like Jesus
It is His instructions for us so if we love Him we need to read the word

If we want passion for God
We need to fall in love with the word
Don't just be listeners of the word but be active practitioners of the word
Read the word and fill your life with it

I really hope we can all see the bible as God's love letter and message to us on how we should live and conduct our lives. When we feel clueless, empty or unloved, pick up the bible and embrace His word. The answers are all in there, we don't have to feel anxious about not knowing what to expect in life. Praise God!

THE PURSUIT OF A UNIVERSITY DEGREE
--A SURVIVAL NEED IN OUR COMPETITIVE SOCIETY

It is axiomatic that arming yourself with a university degree is no longer like in the olden days a luxury, but more a necessity or at least a hugely perceived need for survival in the today’s world. The recent hype about UNSW’s closure, students with outstanding grades failing to secure a place in a desired university course, and employees deceiving employers regarding paper qualifications, point to the mounting importance people see in university education as well as the despair and desperation in not being able to obtain one.

One should realise that good grades are no longer a direct passport into university. We should learn to appreciate how people are no longer judged solely on their academic achievements and society is becoming more open-minded towards the notion that individuals with other qualities or abilities can be an asset. In fact, many students who may not have been able to bank on these to help them enter a particular school in the past can now do so. And this change should be recognised as progression in our society.

With the vast number of applications and increasing efforts to raise standards of local education in the global scene, choosing the all-rounded individual is undoubtedly a wise move by the universities. Society has changed and we need to accept the fact that even an excellent transcript may not be suffice to ensure entry into a top-notch organisation or MNC. Moreover, today’s workers would gladly testify that excelling academically would not guarantee your success in the workplace.

Hence, the challenges for us today are: (1) how as a society can we cater for this rising demand for university education (e.g. providing more bonds or even subsidies for people to study overseas); (2) how can educational institutions develop fair selection criteria that are aligned to societal needs (i.e. with more measures like CCA records and project work, how do we decide who is more deserving of a place); and lastly (3) how can we as individuals widen our repertoire of skills and abilities to need the changing needs in the job market.

God is the greatest scientist!

Who is like our Lord?
Who can compare to his genius?
His ingenuity surpasses all.

Dazzingly gifted in designing,
The world is like his embroided tapestry,
A piece of art so adeptly crafted.

The human mind so complex,
He reads it with a flick of an eyelid,
With full comprehension so effortlessly.

Who is like our Lord?
A whizz in mathematics,
Exceptional gifting in physics.

He is the greatest scientist,
The best there was, is and ever shall be,
The creator of the earth and all mankind.

Inspired by the bus conductor

The conductor on the SBS bus no. 170 not only brightened my day as I stepped up the bus at 8 a.m. this morning, but also taught me an important lesson. As I walked up and prepared to scan my EZ Link card, he gave me a warm and cheerful greeting that certainly surprised me. I noticed that he did the same for all the subsequent passengers that came up the bus with the same fervour and sincerity, and yet customising each greeting to the particular individual that stepped up. This simple deed clearly indicated how one could inject so much fun and meaning into a mundane job. Psychologists have studied how altruism manifested through small acts of kindness not only make the receiver happy but also enables the giver to feel a sense of fulfillment. They have also shown how doing good at work (what they term performing organisational citizenship behaviours) can raise job satisfaction. Evidently, the conductor had not only made my day (and others' of course), but also exemplified the powerful principle of how we can help others and at the same time help ourselves feel better.

The Discipline of Study...

He that studies only men, will get the body of knowledge without the soul; and he that studies only books, the soul without the body. He that to what he sees, adds observation, and to what he reads, reflection, is in the right road to knowledge, provided that in scrutinising the hearts of others, he neglects not his own.

~Caleb Colton

What you invest your time in must have eternal value...

This line was shared by Pastor today during his sermon. Something really for us to think about.

As I got stuck behind a truck on the 1st lane of the PIE today, my life just flashed by. The cars in the second lane were so fast I couldn't change lane. I had no choice but to stay put there and wait for the opportunity. In my mind was just "How am I ever going to make it? Would I get into an accident?" It reminded me of the Virginia Tech incident, the PCG incident that happened last week, etc...of how life can be so fragile and vulnerable. We are just flesh and blood that can perish so easily. That brings me to the question of "How am I choosing right now to live my life?" There are so many people around us whom we can touch and shine a light in their lives.

As I entered the worship today and we sang that song:

"Lord I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for You alone

Every breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord, have Your way in me"

I just knelt down and ask God to help me care for those around me, to pray for the masses and to make full use of every breath and moment in my live to contribute to the kingdom of God and to show some love to everyone around me just as Jesus did. The commandmant to "love thy neighbour as thyself" just stirred in my heart as I prayed for God to use me in that way. There is so much to do yet so little time. I just prayed that He'll give me the wisdom and show me how I should run the race according to His rules and towards His destination for me.

"What you invest your time in must have eternal value". What a lovely line! Reminded me of how much time we can give to God if we spent less time gaming online, complaining and wallowing in self-pity, feeding our vanity streaks, etc. Let's learn to invest our time and energy in those we love and the world we live in. And also take some time to marvel at His awe and to slow down and smell the roses cos' we need to refill our cup each time after we serve.

Three letters I wrote to ST Forum:

Published online, April 13, 2007

Increase job satisfaction among our civil servants

'ONLY in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honour'. This verse from the Bible struck me when I read the article on 'S'pore workers in big demand for key jobs abroad' (ST, April 9). No prizes for guessing why the report surfaced amid the buzz on ministerial pay increments. It undoubtedly highlighted the urgency to implement measures to retain public-sector talent. Still, the focus on finding the best benchmarking formula has diverted attention away from the intangibles that make the work attractive.

I do agree to some extent that the emphasis on money is important. Being a politician is not easy and all the more so in Singapore given the high expectations of the Government. Burn-out is common and that is when people begin to ponder whether their remuneration commensurate with their sweat and tears shed. However, I concur with what MP Denise Phua mentioned in her speech on how we also need to 'cultivate more lasting and non-monetary motivators to usher in and retain good people in the public sector' (ST, April 11). We need to adopt this approach for the entire civil service, not only those on the higher rungs.

We need to consider how we can increase job satisfaction among our civil servants. For instance, job aspects can be improved so that people do not feel that they are literally 'servants' to the public but take pride in their service towards nation-building. Often, individuals fail to see how seemingly trivial tasks contribute to a larger picture with a significant outcome (for example. how the mundane job of a checkpoints officer contributes to national security). The entire debate on pay is shifting the focus towards self-interest and away from the intrinsic motivation that keeps people where they are.

Perhaps the aforementioned Bible verse holds some truth here. While we do acknowledge our good Government, we sometimes fail to recognise the good workers (from the highest to the lowest rank) in the government sector. It is not easy for police officers, for instance, to serve the public and yet get yelled at during the course of duty. Being appreciated by the public is important. I hope that through this recent spate of debates, more will come to realise the critical role civil servants play. Pay increments are good but other factors are crucial too.

Charlene Chen Yijun (Ms)

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Published online, April 13, 2007

An under-rated education system in Singapore?

THE UWC win over the local schools in the recent debates on 'The Arena' has been the talk of the town for a couple of weeks now and some have pointed their fingers at the local education system as being the cause behind the overwhelming defeat. According to the article in the Sunday Times (April 8), several are under the opinion that our local students, as compared to their foreign counterparts, were not as proficient in thinking on their feet and were capable only of acing exams. Prior to this, it was not uncommon to hear similar criticism of our education system.

The interesting thing was that in the same paper, there was an Insight special on 'Behind the Education Scene' which touched on how our education system has progressed and evolved over the years. In fact, other nations want to model their system on ours. This is indeed laudable and I believe it is the success story of the leaders and workers in the education scene who have contributed their heart and soul to this calling of theirs. I'm especially proud that Singapore does not succumb to the international trends in education policy but we fashion our own system and have become a trend-setter in this aspect within the region.

Unfortunately, there are many of us who still fail to appreciate the greater flexibility introduced into the system over the years, and stick to the belief that the system is still as rigid as before. I applaud The Straits Times for doing this segment to raise awareness of the initiatives being carried out to make the system a more flexible one. Our polytechnics and ITEs are grooming a rising number of talents and there is a growing variety of courses for students to choose from. Importantly, the point on having good leaders to drive the system was duly emphasised. We definitely need brilliant people to help us plan and execute education policies which have such great impact on the economy.

Charlene Chen Yijun (Ms)

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Unplublished

Unhappiness looms because......

There have been some grouses following the revelation of the revised pay package for civil servants on Monday (9 April). Perhaps, the manner in which the matter is communicated can be done better. Recurring themes in messages of how the government has been responsible for our world class status and how the government is held in high regard by foreign governments have become ineffective to the extent of sounding a little annoying. Also, the whole talk about retaining people has made it seem as though we are just paying people for their brains. Help the public understand the nature of the job that makes it justifiable for them to command higher pay, apart from constantly repeating that they could have earned more elsewhere or that they could be poached by the private sector. These are not convincing because it can be argued that money should not be the main motivation for joining politics. Does that mean that many of them will quit if there is no pay rise? People need to know exactly why top officials deserve the higher pay.

In addition, the news of higher pay for entrants into the service has not been going down well with existing civil servants who will not get a monthly pay revision. Although it was stated clearly how annual pay will increase with the performance-based lump sum accorded, it just seems puzzling why monthly pay has stayed put for the lower ranking civil servants but has increased for the higher officials. Undoubtedly, the more competitive pay for new entrants will be a good incentive to "lure" people to join the civil service and alleviates the problem of manpower shortages. However, the problem of attrition is not resolved because existing workers will move out after they receive their bonuses. Many may come in but at the same time many may exit after a while. People need to see the long term benefits of the new pay package, not just the short-term gain. Moreover, job satisfaction must increase to help retain people. Pay in the private sector is more volatile compared to the government. When the economy is good, private sector employees earn more. Government pay on the other hand does not adjust so flexibly. Hence, we need to use other measures to keep workers. Many underlying concerns and questions need to be addressed.

Good Friday? I say GREAT Friday!

Yesterday was eventful! I was supposed to get baptised tomorrow on Good Friday at East Coast Beach with several other church members at around 8.30 a.m.

Lo and Behold, I got a call at 6.30 a.m. in the morning. Suspecting it was a morning call from a kind someone I arranged to give a lift to, I picked up my mobile phone and saw my colleague's name flashing on the screen and instantly I knew it was work beckoning. Immediately I took the call and she sounded apologetic about waking me up on a public holiday so early in the morning.

"Char, sorry to wake you up so early," she said sheepishly.

I was exceptionally calm. Maybe cos' it was wee hours if not usually I'll be excited when there are incidents--we don't get many in Singapore not that it's something to be jumping up for joy about. Gimme a break man...the job's still pretty new to me so the romantic notion of being "activated" for some big thing really sends my adrenaline pumping!

"Sure no problem, I can be there at seven," I replied after getting more details of the case.

"Okay, see you there at 7.15," she quickly responded.

"Alright then. See you then!" I said with relief at the extra grace time given cos' I was starting to doubt my ability to get there at the time I offered so rapidly without much thought. Hehe, thought of myself as some police woman being activated for some exciting case!

I put down the phone and called my friend to say that I won't be able to give him a ride and messaged my other friend that I've got to work and won't be able to make it for the Baptism. Then I changed into something (I thought was quite in line with my impression of the dreessing worn by a female CID ASP), grabbed my duffle bag with my change of clothes for the Baptism and my pre-packed activation kit.

Anyway, got there two minutes late eventually (didn't consider the parking time and I made a slight detour). Phew, thank God she suggested 7.15! I walked into the NPC and there was my colleague sitting down and talking to one officer. They ended their conversation and she reported everything she knew to me.

Next minute, another colleague of mine came and us three ladies discussed the case in a nice waiting room with comfy couches.

"Boss is coming later also," my first colleague informed. Yep, he's always so ready to respond; so passionate about his work!

There I sat on the couch as we were waiting and I got an SMS from my friend from church suggesting whether I could go for the baptism instead and hand my work over to my colleagues. I stiffened up and mulled over the options. At that moment, the dilemma struck me. How should I honour God in this situation? Work or God? Was this a test of my priorities?

So I weighed out everything:

• This is my first formal activation as a new psych
• I was on the duty roster; it's my responsibility
• It's not as if I'm going back to office to do filing or paperwork
• I'm rendering help

BUT

• It IS my Baptism day--something which I've been holding off so long cos' of my stupid pride and rationalisation (1. was baptised as a baby in Catholic church; 2. I've been in church for so long now and I'm much older than the other youths being baptised)
• It was a step of obedience to go for Baptism, was I going to back-out?
• There were three other people who could clearly manage the situation
• I already showed face anyway, not that I shrugged my duties
• Told my colleagues and they did assure me that it was alright to go

My pride got the better of me. I refused to relinquish my role there and then.

"Nah it's okay, I can don't go for Baptism," I swiftly declined after they said it was okay for me to go. My mind was still doing the permutations. I looked at my clock and decided to make a decision 10 minutes later after praying to God for wisdom on what to do.

Ten minutes passed. There was an unsual calm and peaceful feeling in my heart--the power of prayer. I called my pastor when I slipped out to get some brochures from the kit in my car.

"I was about to call you," he said when he heard my voice. I explained my situation.

"No problem, I understand. You do your work," he assured me.

"Pastor, I will try my best to some after my work. Think I might be able to make it".

"Okay, you can come before 1 p.m. We'll be here (at East Coast) till then".

At that moment, that knot in my mind disentangled. I knew I would be able to reach a win-win situation. I could even go to the hospital to visit the casualty before going for Baptism. God was gracious. He not only allowed me to do my work, but also enabled me to get baptised. Praise God! I never expected that but with a simple prayer and weighing all the options and deciding based on what I believe is right, all went well! He is awesome and amazing isn't He!

It was a dilemma. But it was one where two important priorities clash and a choice had to be made. Though I chose work initially, I knew I could do it guilt free after much rationalising but I eventually called my pastor and left it up to God to decide for me and He did. That saved me from a guilt trip and brought me to that win-win situation. God was my priority and I should honour Him, so I prayed. Isn't it great when you try your best to put Him first.

Everything ended at 10 a.m., giving me sufficient time to drive down to East Coast. Thank God it was also more convenient to go from the hospital compared to my house. Reached there and was welcomed by a warm and familiar crowd. My church members started asking why I was so late and I had to repeat my account several times. I got changed and went for the immersion into the sea after prayer after giving a short testimony in front of everyone. I shared how my prideful nature prevented me from getting Baptised earlier. It was a quick Baptism and I got out amidst the singing of my church people. People came over to congratulate me and extend some hugs despite my wet attire. I felt so touched!

Subsequently, we played games and had loads of fun just participating as a youth team. Later on, I went home and got some chores done--ironing, sweeping, etc. Really felt so productive that day! Then I got prepared for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Got free tickets from my uncle--very blessed!

When I went over to my cousin's place to meet them and set off for the show, both gals looked decked out so glamourously for the night. There I was dumbstrucked (but I hid it well), I was so underdressed! Apparently, these free tickets come with a pre-show cocktail and desserts during the interval. The reception was attended by some pretty rich people and there was free-flow on wine and drinks. Felt so bad about being so underdressed! Oh well, it wasn't so bad. Singaporeans are kinda casual and some of the people who attended the cocktail weren't so formally attired. Anyway, the cocktail was so cool! The food was nice and the service was top-notch. We got goodie bags with the programme booklet for free too! That was such a huge blessing for me cos' I wasn't intending to buy tickets to watch the show. My cousing actually told me that my uncle had an additional free ticket and the people who were invited to take it weren't able to make it so he thought of me!

The show was spectacular. Effects were superb, singing was excellent and inspiring. God, I wish I could sing so flawlessly. Loved the haunting tunes and the orchestra played so brilliantly! There was good company and I managed to catch up with my cousins before the show. What a wonderful blessing from the Lord. I really loved the show and am looking forward to watch it again next time (maybe in New York or London in a proper theatre--Esplanade was good (they can block all mobile phone reception!) but I had a neckache throughout the show). Few days back I was at "The Crystal Mirror" held at the Padang watching European acrobats perform and enjoying a four-course fine dining world class cuisine, and rubbing shoulders with directors and international performers (all free somemore!), and there I was back in the city watching Phantom. I'm such a pampered gal! God sure loves me (and of course He loves you the same). Guess His ways are mysterious but I sure am savouring all these little blessings!

Whew! Good Friday? I say it was GREAT Friday man!

Was impacted by yesterday's praise and worship! Had a lot of fun just praising and grooving to the music. I really liked how Andrew aptly described how we tend to NOT be there for God when He needs us (to do His work), and on the contrary how God is always there for us when we need Him. He related his own experience during the service--how he missed God and what his friend told Him, that God needed him and how God was always there. How true isn't it?

As we sang the song "Draw Me Close", this prayer (the chorus) just arose in my heart:

"You're all I want

You'll all I've ever needed

You'll all I want

Help me know You are near!"


Love the last line very much cos' we always feel so far away from God (like how I felt when I was bogged down by work and was sick) and we really need to make this line a prayer in our heart. Whenever we feel that God is so far away, we need to remind ourselves that He is indeed around.

The words of each song we sang were so lovely. Throughout the service, I began to sing every one of them like a prayer that would reach His ears. It was so fun to just be in some kind of conversation with Him. As I sang, just felt the conviction from the messages transmitted in the songs. It was a totally amazing experience. The feeling of joy was so immense and enjoyable!

Hope God would impact those around me with this feeling as well.

Whoo...hoo...I'm back!!

Today, Mona reminded me that I haven't updated my blog in a while...(heh, know what you are thinking gal...how come I'm blogging right now when I can be shouting "taboo" at Rach's...hehe. Oops going to get "hantum" when I step into office on Mon).

Anyways, yah it's been such a long time since I've blogged. Somehow haven't got much inspiration too..guess I'm the "EMO"-kind and when I get into the reflective or intellectual (the former more than the latter...), then I get the urge to blog. My brain's been quite scattered (scatterbrain!) the past few weeks and I haven't been clear-minded enough to think. Was kinda afraid...thought I won't recover and I got some brain prob or something (serious...for a while I was scared) cos' I really felt sea-sick for days and I haven't been on a PCG patrol craft or something like that. Haven't been so sick like that in ages. I guess the ParaC Day and the Viva (my two giants) really kept my body on battle-mode but I didn't have the time (couldn't afford to anyway...) to fall ill and after the Viva...it just gave way like an overstretched rubberband. Still remember that morning I fell sick...was scheduled to conduct a PSC interview and that queasy feeling and the muscle aches were beginning to set in...affected my mood and I threw a tiny tantrum at work over a file that went missing for a while (which I'm kinda apologetic...very guilty over that weekend). Sorry some of them had to see that...-.-

Anyways, that sea-sickness (floating kind of dizzy...not the usual spinning kind...the third doctor I saw defined the two kinds for me...) followed me for days. Went for a course on negotiation and I was really looking forward to it (ever since I attended one day of a similar course conducted last year when I joined)...but when that floating sensation interfered with my mind and I had to give some of the exercises, esp. the more challenging ones a miss, I was worried that I won't be assessed and also won't be competent enough to be on the team eventually. Finally managed to squeeze out one rational thought through that clouded thinking. If I had to take care of my health, I had to...and if it means giving up being part of the team (and being able to experience some "action" next time) then I had to...But anyway, think it isn't so bad. Hopefully they will let me join the team. Tried to use some reverse psych (actually it's just rationalisation) on myself by telling myself that on the flip side if I don't make it I won't have to be activated wee hours of the night if a real incident were to happen...heh.

Okay, so basically I have been ill...oh no going on and on about it...don't be mistaken, not wallowing in self-pity. Really wanna get well and be up and running. Miss the gym...miss the jogging. Also, I had so many things I was looking forward to after Viva! All the goals I set for myself this year...anyways, slowly getting back on track and planning my next steps. Wanna do some volunteering, reading, give myself a treat---maybe a new hairdo, have some slumbers, plan for the outreach prog, study for you-know-what, aiyo...list goes on. Was so upset when I got ill and had to shelve these plans. Most of all the past one month or so...the busyness kept me away from God. I felt a little distant...esp. during Viva prep. It was madness...the late nights just made me so tired and that made morning QT quite an uphill task. Really trying to get back on track now. Praise God, the past few QTs have been great. The chapters I'm reading now have really been impacting my heart. Just wanna share something about obedience and life:

Here's a little section on obeying God from my study bible which I really like and wanna commit to doing...

Deuteronomy 8:1 tells us to obey God's commandmants and we do this with...

1. Our HEART--by loving Him more than any relationship, activity, achievement or possession. (I'm really glad that I'm madly in LOVE with HIM!)

2. Our WILL--by committing ourselves completely to Him

3. Our MIND--by seeking to know Him and His Word, so His principles and values for the foundation of all we think and do.

4. Our BODY--by recognizing that our strengths, talents and sexuality are given to us by God to be used for pleasure and fulfillment according to His rules and not ours. (Amen, so we can't waste away our lives...self care is important too!)

5. Our FINANCES--by deiciding that all of the resources we have ultimately come from God, and that we are to be Managers of them not Owners. (This reminds me to be humble and not become complacent cos' although He won't take them away forcefully--the Lord is merciful--He can prevent us from using them).

6. Our FUTURE--by deciding to make service to God and man the main purpose of our life's work. (I put a star beside this one in my bible cos' I'm at the point in my life where I'm seriously thinking about my future plans and I really wanna this purpose to be the cornerstone of everything I do in my life!)

As for the part on LIFE...was reading Mind Your Body this week and there was this article in the Mind Matters section (really like this cos' it has topics relevant to resilience and positive psych) about Aristotle and Happiness. They were saying how Happiness is not so much a destination but rather a journey of pursuing some meaning in your life. Was also reading in the bible about how Jesus mentioned in Matthew 4:4 that man does not live on bread alone but on the Word of God! There was this point in my study bible about how many people think that life is based on satisfying their appetites--earning money to dress well, eat well, play well--that's the good life, but truly these things do not satisfy our deepest longings. Many times, we end up empty and dissatisfied even after these so called needs are met. Real life according to Moses in Deuteronomy 8:3 comes from total commitment to God, the one who created life itself. It requires DISCIPLINE, SACRIFICE, and HARD WORK and that's why most people never find it. I guess it's really closely linked to what Aristotle had in mind...that happiness is really something we have to work for through life and that requires a purpose we are living for. When there is a goal to achieve, it always involves what Moses' had in mind I guess...discipline, sacrifice and hard work--the ingredients for reaching life goals. At the end of the day, when you achieve that purpose you look back and feel like you scaled Mount Everest!

Oh dear...been rattling on and on...just wanted to capture these on my blog before I forget. Don't mind the sentances...okay shall stop here for now. I just love life and wanna embrace it with that purpose in mind! Amen!

Praise the Lord!

I just completed my viva voce! Finally. I'm only left with the panel evaluation (gotta prep the slides tomorrow), but I'm still rejoicing! The Lord reigns cos' I wouldn't have made it without Him. The following illustration shared by Pastor few weeks back aptly describes how I feel right now...it was used as an example of humility. For me, it just describes how I feel exactly about God's hand in everything--all He had done for me. Amen!

Alex Haley is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author best known for Roots (1976), his ancestral saga encompassing the entire African-American experience, and The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965). He put up a picture in his office, showing a turtle sitting atop a fence. The picture is there to remind him of a lesson he learned long ago: ‘If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he had some help'. The turtle couldn't have made it up there cos' turtles don't climb. It only could have gotten there by the hand of God.

Jesus take the wheel

Take it from my hands

'Cause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go

Give me one more chance

Save me from this road I'm on

Jesus take the wheel

Need you badly Lord...I can't face the giant on my own
Just like how you've given David the victory, help me fight my "Goliath"
I need your extra dose of strength, wisdom, willpower, optimism and faith!

SUCCESS

probably inaccurately attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics

And endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty,

To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better,

Whether by a healthy child,

A garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier

because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

Crazy lyrics that struck me when I was leaving the airport after sending my mum off to Newcastle...she'll be away for the next four months...:(

These words just came to me and I typed it into my mobile phone. Finished it when I came home. Just some poppish kinda rubbish song...heh. So full of angst. You may laugh after you read it!

Ironic Personality

I'm strong but I'm weak,
I'm juvenile but sensible,
So fickle yet so stubborn,
No restrictions but traditional.

I'm bitter but I'm sweet,
In love but at loggerheads,
Can sweep you off your feet,
yet can make you wanna flee.

Cos' I'm a girl of contradiction,
A product of irony.
Give ya some coldness,
But I can turn up the heat.

Cos' I'm a girl of contradiction,
Can't understand myself.
So how could you know me,
when I don't even, myself.

Why do you pretend to know me when you don't
I don't even know myself, how could you know me?

Stop looking at me like I'm some kind of young chick
Cos' I'm stronger inside, though I look kinda weak.

Finished!

Lene's little piece of mindfulness today...Simply divine!

Hearing my footsteps in tandom with my short breaths as I jog in the park with the sunlight shining and hitting on my back.

Running along a road without any vehicles and hearing an eighties mandarin tune coming from a petrol kiosk and sounds of birds and chatter from people at the bus-stop.

Prodding up the slope to my condo, feeling the strain on the body but at the same time peering at the red and white radio tower atop the hill with the beautiful blue sky as a backdrop and green lushious palm trees in the foreground.

Took these mental snapshots as I ran today. It's great to be alive and aware of what's around you and within you. Praise God that in the complexities of life, there is always a simple side to life that always brings so much pleasure and delight to the human soul. It's great to be alive!