Happy Birthday

Happy birthday, my dearest sister. Wherever you are. 

It's been so long, and the family misses you. But more so, me. Because after all, you're my best friend in this family. 

Happy birthday. I pray that God watches over you, over the little one, over your family. And we hope, sincerely, that one day you can come back to say hello to us.

The door's wide open. And love, love always triumphs. 

I miss you k. 

Guitar.

I haven't touched my guitar in the longest time, that the callouses that I built up a while ago were gone. But all of a sudden, I picked up my guitar on Monday, and I've not stopped practicing ever since. 

That's six whole consecutive days now :)

And the motivation I got, was the simplest of words - worship.

I want to be able to play, so that I can sing to God. And well, now that I'm old enough I shall admit this- I think I can write songs. Poems, in fact, because I do not yet possess the musical sense to carry a melody. But I can hold a rhyme, hopefully to the beat of time, and let it float, so we can all soak, in the presence of our God, and stand in awe, as we are reminded by these songs that we write, whose true author is the Spirit that resides.

See my point? It's more like a rap now though, and I don't think anyone wants to hear a 27 year old woman who still struggles to clap to the beat of music mind you, rapping.

I hope this momentum can sustain me

So I can worship The Lord through the melody of music

And enter his presence with a decent song

To praise and worship, all the day long

Oh how awesome it is to sing

Of His great love, by which we are redeemed

And to sing of Jesus who died on the cross

A sacrifice for those who are lost

My fingers now hurt from playing G,C,E and D

But no, they won't stop me from praising Thee!

I love you, God.

Maturity

Ok, so after seven months, being in love is actually really really fun.

But also scary. Ever so often we mention the future, and a whole lot of jargon falls into place. Things I've never truly thought about in my entire life. Being single for most of my life meant never needing to think about them.

Well until now.

The moment when my cell group leader James and his wife pulled out books about marriage and said, "it's a new season for you!"

So, Maturity, I need your help.

And among all the questions, one that is of utmost importance is- "Can we serve Sharks' Fin if we get to have a Chinese wedding please?". Seems even more pressing for your presence now, Maturity.

Of course, it is to be followed by, what's life like being committed to a person for a really really really long time? Will we be doing the same things everyday till it falls into routine? How do we manage finances, and life? I'm just beginning to start saving for one person, and I don't even have enough to get a 5D camera, how to I get enough to start a life outside of my parents' home? How does one even go around to get a flat when the most expensive purchase I've ever made is my $2800 iMac?

But of course, coming back to rationality, the above questions won't be needing an answer so soon. As i've mentioned, it's only been seven months. We can keep the hyperventilation bag in storage for a while more. And perhaps, if I start thinking about these now, there won't be a need to hyperventilate when the time comes even. 

Maturity, aren't you working just fine?

The Timing

I had made plans with Leanne to meet for dinner on Thursday night, as I haven't seen her for the longest time. 3 months, in fact, and she had gone to Denmark, then Vancouver and back. 

However, my plan backfired as some work stuff got delayed and I forsaw a need to stay back that night. With a heavy heart, I texted Leanne to ask if we could take a raincheck. Bless this girl whom "we were both young when I first met you", she understood and agreed.

In the early evening though, I was done pretty fast, unexpectedly. So I texted her to see if we can put the dinner back on the schedule. But she had already made plans. So we decided to push our dinner to next week.

I have cell group every Friday. But on this day, it just has to be today, cell group was canceled as our cell-group mate is getting married tomorrow and a lot of them have been mobilized to help in the set up today. So I had decided, early in the week, that I would hang out with Mr Lim. We made new plans, to go over to his place in Tampines and watch a random movie. Sounds good. 

Today, Friday, I was set to head to Tampines. 

For it just so happened that Leanne stays in Tampines. 

And this afternoon, I received a text from her that said,"My grandmother passed away."

In the end, I went to Mr Lim's for a quick pee break (blame the weak bladder) and then I went to meet Leanne, just a few streets down the road. And we ended up talking over a late dinner at the airport.

This is the story of how I got to be there for my friend, despite my crazy schedule. Without knowing I could. God loves her, and His grand scheme of loving her included me.

I have a wonderful God.

And of course, we're still set for next Wednesday night's dinner!

The Disturbing Truth

So I was eating ice cream with Mr Lim 2 nights ago, when he started showing me random funny strips from 9gag. One of them was the above.

Then he said, "these cartoons poke fun at Christians but isn't there some truth in this?"

I said, enthusiastically because last Friday we had a lengthy discussion in cell about salvation and works,

"Yup! It's true ah. The girl who knocked down the hooker is still going to heaven."

"Wait! What?"

"Salvation is by God's grace, and so she said the sinner's prayer right, she's going to heaven. The hooker didn't, so she's not."

He looked at me with a frown, and said, "hmmm, do you believe in magic?"

"Nope."

"So, you don't believe that by saying a magical incantation, like hocus pocus, you can make something appear right?"

"Yup, don't believe in that."

"But why are you looking at the sinner's prayer like it is a magic word?"

"Hmmm.... It's what we were told when we converted. By saying the prayer, we are saved!"

"Can you find the sinner's prayer in the bible?"

"Uh.... Nooo..."

"Did the disciples prayed the sinner's prayer before they followed Christ?"

"Eh, I don't think so."

After a long discussion and some reference to the epistle of James, my eyes were opened, wider than before. I really had thought that saying the sinner's prayer garuantees a place in heaven. But of course, if you say the prayer, then go on to get wasted and snort cocaine, what Christian would that be? 

No wonder, when we become Christians, we automatically change our ways, or try to. Our faith breathes life into our works, which are acts of obedience for God. 

We did see the importance of the sinner's prayer though, that it is the starting point of the walk. The moment you start, but boy, that's definitely not where you end. 

It was a good discussion. What do you think about it?

Putting Back Marge

Philippines

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful words

- Hebrews 1:3