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Random thoughts

Time really whooshed by for the last two months. While classes have been really enjoyable (have to give it to Seed institute for their creative modules and passionate teachers) I am getting burnt out with classes every other day. When there is no class, I will have project meetings that run for hours every week. I am EXHAUSTED! My two short trips in July are just fuzzy memories now and I badly BADLY need another break. Doesn’t help when I spent whatever free time oogling over the lastest trip photos of my fav bloggers. Sigh, with my grueling class schedules, I can only dream about travelling till maybe…… Xmas?

I have not been exercising much and since jogging is out, at least for now, I am trying out swimming (finally utilizing the facilities we have been paying blindly for) and it is getting off to a really slow start. Realized it is so much easier to put off swimming as compared to jogging: sheer logistics of putting on the bathing suit, constant battling of self-esteem (sucking in tummy no longer effective to tuck in tummy :P), too cold, too hot, too many noisy kids at the pool, etc etc.. Sigh, need to get my momentum up soon!

One of my friend wittily concluded the PE results: TT supporters – Pap supporters, TCB supporters – moderate/on the fence voters, TJS – opposition supporters and TKL – ticked wrongly. :P Anyway, I am quite disappointed with the results because of the large % of moderate voters. These fence sitters disagree with the idea of someone so closely linked to PAP to do the check and balance on the reserve but yet cannot agree with the more “aggressive” approach of TJS. (aggressive defined by Singaporeans as dared to ask questions on reserve while none of the other candidates did; But how else can we know about our reserve unless we open our mouth and ask? Anyway) Singaporeans want friendly oppositions. But oh… the irony of that… lagi sigh…

Celebrated Dad's birthday over the weekend. As usual, he refused any sort of celebratios and I made do with an Ang bao and a simple birthday cake. At least I got macho him to blow off the candle this time. Flor Patisserie cakes rock!!   

Love family gatherings

I am glad that Yong shares my love to have guests over. Not just the modest three four ppl gathering but large group of ten to twenty people, all squeezed in our tiny place, eating and drinking to their hearts' content and chilling in front of the TV or more recently, the piano thereafter.  We absolutely love the loud and boisterous affair and it fills our heart with joy to see our loved ones enjoy themselves.

Some photos from recent family gathering..

Chilling out in our living room

Ruscoe - The most handsome dog in the world

Little Cleo practicing on my piano

Totally in love with Ah Tio's new cap. He is one suave looking elder. :)

Wait by Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate . . .
And the Master so gently said, "Wait."

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

"My future and all to which I relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.

"You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply."

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . .
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

"I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence are all you can see.

"You'd never experience the fullness of love
When the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

"The glow of my comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss, if you missed what I'm doing in you.

"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still . . . Wait."

One of my pastors warned that we do not interpret this poem to think that God is withholding happiness from us. That is unscriptural and not the nature of God. I understand and totally agree because that is not the God I know and read about.

Nonetheless, I love this poem. It depicts my feelings about waiting perfectly and reminds me of God's faithfulness and love for us.