God, thank you for the blessing

Elene bake me a chocolate banana mouse cake for me for my birthday. A wonderful gift, though the cake perish after it has been eaten but her gift of love I will remember for life.

Another gift that i recieved is the birthday song that caleb and cheryl sang to me over the phone and a birthday present that is yet to be recieved. But the gesture of remembering and the song is enough to warm my heart.

I dislike birthday celebration partly because i don't like the attention to be on me as i felt that it's so self-centered and the world emphasise so much on birthday celebration.However, God taught me to take birthday celebration as a time of fellowship and catching up with one another. As i go for dinner with shuling, dawn, huishan, fion, guichan and philiana today, i really enjoyed the time spent together to catch up and the friendship that we have.

I was wondering will we have such time of catching up when we're in our 50's or 60's? Or maybe by that time we'll be attending each other funeral.Ha..ha..

Another lesson that god taught me is that i used to think who is my best friend? Do i have a best friend? But why am i so stubborn in wanting to pursure after an exclusive friendship or a special relationship? I think it's the desire to be loved and wanting to be special in someone eye. However, isn't it wonderful to learn to build friendship and cherish every friend that God place in my life. Simple enjoy the friendship and love with one another. God does place people in my life to love me and to be loved by me.

God, i'm thankful for all the blessing and love that you gave me.The friendships that i have and the family love that you gave to me.

Good colleague

Thank God for good colleague who help me to find the structure drawing which i needed to do my work.
I've been searching high and low for these few day but was in vain. Simply don't know how to go
about to look for data that i need. To find the type of rivets that i need is so difficult.

Gu Gu and Gor Gor

On the 1st Sep, Carys Tan Enxi call "Gor Gor (哥哥）clearly for the 1st time. 1st Nov, Carys Tan Enxi call "Gu Gu (姑姑）clearly for the 1st time. I guess it's difficult to pronounce 'g' sound for young kid. She has no problem calling 'pa pa' and 'ma ma'.

A day of fun baking

Today, Dawn and me went to Elene's house for a day of fun baking. A student Alice

join us too. We are making a mango mousse cake. This is a pre-baking session is for 

baking a successful cake for the Dec baby. We met at the mrt station to go and buy

those baking stuff below.

Juicy and nice mango. Cutting them into pieces so that we can use it later. 

 Mixing of the gelatine and the mango puree.

The whipping of cream.

Combining the whipping cream and mango puree to make the mango mousse.

And we've to freeze it for a while before we can use it.

 These sponge cake was pre-bake by Elene. Thanks Elene.

After some time, we took out the mango mousse and start to put in the ingredient
layer by layer.

 The cake with 1st layer of mousse.

 Yeah! Mango..mango..and more mango.

 Another layer of mango mousse.

2nd layer of sponge cake with mousse.

 Trying to smooth out the mango mousse.

 Putting it in the freezer for everything to set before we put the decor on top.

 This was how it look like when we first decor it.

 Pouring in the mango puree with gelatine.

The end product. Yeah.. the cake is done but can't eat yet. It has to be chilled for

about 3 to 4 hour before everything is set.

After the completion of the mango mousse cake, we tried making some scones.
Scones are quiet easy to make and it require only 3 ingredient. Self-raising flour, butter
and milk and you can add nut and raisin if you wish to.See the rolling of dough.

 Using cutting mould to cut out the dough.

 Sending it to the oven.

 The dough are having sauna inside the oven.

Out of the oven.

Yummy..eating what we have done.
It was a nice day spent at Elene's house. After the baking, we have a short time of
worship. Dawn play the keyboard and Elene play the flute.

At the pantry

At the pantry during lunch time, an intern whose leg was injured when he played the foot ball joined us for lunch. It was a serious injury as he has to go through 2 more major operation to get the leg fixed.

As collegue A heard of this, she said: “Last time, when i go and watch my husband play football, i'll always cheer “run away, run away” because he once had a serious injury. What for you play and get injure and suffer. And now, when my children say that they want to play sport like netball, basket ball and volleyball, I'll say “no”, so dangerous, will get injure. And i told them that if you want to play sport, you can play badminton, ping pong or bowling. Bowling better still because it has air-con. These are sport that you'll get less injury.”

As i thought about what she said, i can understand where she come from. As a mother who want to protect and give comfort to her children from a very practical view point. She's is such a singaporean. I can identify with her because i'm a plegmatic, every thing that i want to do will go through a series of careful calculation. Not that it's wrong to calculate and know the risk involved.

But i think that by what my collegue has calculated, won't her children missed out a lot of fun? It's fun to learn and play sport and at times you may get injured.

Then the Lord draw me to Hebrew 11:6 “without faith it's impossible to please God..” Being too plegmatic has no place for faith to growth. If i'm alway thinking of having a good and comfy live, there will be no adventure and the need to trust God. Lord, this carnal self of mine is so prevailing, please help me to keep watch of this mindset and constantly lay it down at your feet.

Selah

The word ’selah‘ is used in Psalm 73 times and in Habakkuk is used 3 time. Many a time when i come across this word ’selah', there isn't much attention or meditation on it. My understanding of this word is simply a musical term used in psalm. Which i'm not wrong.

With some search on the meaning, selah notes a break in the song and as such is similar to the word Amen in that it stresses the important of preceding passage. Another explanation of selah(celah) is from the primary hebrew root word(calah), which literally means "to hang' and by implication to measure(weight).

Pause (selah) in psalm express the stillness of meeting God in worship. Did I pause and wait, no haste, no hurry in coming to commune with God. Where are the “selah”, the pause for praise and adoration in my live?

I'm so much of a russian (rush in, rush out). Being rushian cause me not being able to take notice of God's work in my life or even my time with him can be affected.

  

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah  Psalm 46:10-11

Ps 46:10 the call to be still follow after verse about roaring, raging, moving, shaking and swelling.How one can be still in the midst of all these unless one take time to pause and commune with God, trusting in his sovereignty. However, one may not meet with roaring, raging, moving, shaking and swelling all the time. How about in the mundane of every day life? How can i see God and worship Him unless i do take time and pause  

and commune with Him.

Lord, help me to learn how to selah. that i may know you and see you in my daily life.

小叮当迷，不可不知

“描绘漫画的我，很快乐；阅读漫画的人，很快乐。”

藤子F。不二雄

今年的9月3日，小叮当生日当天“ 藤子F。不二雄博物馆” 开馆。 “小叮当”乐园标榜着
将梦想，希望，友情，勇气以及对事物怀有的好奇心传达给世人，让大家找回童心，
重活记忆。

所有小叮当迷都会很高兴终于有了“小叮当”乐园。我超爱看小叮当卡通片，看了这么多
年都还没看到结局，几乎每个星期六与日都一边吃早餐，一边看小叮当卡通片中度过。

喜欢小叮当有用不完的法宝，永远有办法帮大雄解决他的问题，但大雄也往往因为滥用
小叮当的法宝而受到惩罚。

喜欢小叮当的任意门，想去哪里只要打开任意门，跨过去就到了。不需要车票，船票，
机票，入门票。

喜欢小叮当容易骗，只要给它铜锣烧，它什么法宝都可以借给你。只要喊一声老鼠，它
就会吓一大跳。

喜欢小叮当的百宝袋，什么稀奇古怪的道具都能从里面挖出来。喜欢。。。

“小叮当”乐园在日本的川崎市多摩区（Kawasaki city, Kanagawa Perfecture），从东京新宿搭小
田急线至登户站。到“小叮当”乐园需要预约，可在日本Lawson便利店购票。到东京的时候，
不妨去走一走。

Am I relating to you as my Father in prayer?

Luke 11:1-11 Jesus' teaching on prayer.
v2 He said to them."When you pray, say: "Father, .."


On 21 Sep, Lina shared in prayer gather that the privilege
of been the children of God is that I can call him Abba Father.
As I thought about it in my QT, Jesus is teaching us to come
to God as a child when we pray, "When you pray, say: "Father, .."


Have I been relating to God as my Father when I pray? A child
who come to the Father with request, trusted and depended on
Him because He is my father who know best and give the best to
me.

Have I turn prayer into a means of getting what I want, what I
think I need and not relating Him as my father, who love to hear
from His child.

Lord, forgive me for turning prayer into a means of getting and not
relating to you as my Father. Thank you that you are a father who
love to hear from His child.

奇妙之旅 Part 2

Thank God, Waiyan's mum agreeded to come for the event today.
Waiyan's prayer have been answered, she pray that her mum will have
a divine appointment with God.


I also want to thank God for teaching me to be prayerful and faithful
in this event. Almost want to give up asking her, as she's just can't
confirm whether she's coming or not. Her desire to go and visit her
youngest daughter at the home can push away any another appointment.


I'm also thankful for the working together for the gospel sake. As i've
to be with the children during the concert time. Shuling and Winnie came
along to be with Waiyan's mum. You see, i'm the 1 that pursue her to
come for the 奇妙之旅, while shuling and winnie continued the gospel
work by been with her and share the gospel with her. Isn't it wonderful!
The important of the body working together.

奇妙之旅.Part 1

Walking with Jesus, walking every day, walking all the way..
Wake up with this song, pray that I'll be conscious to walk
with Jesus everyday

I also want to thank God for helping me to open my mouth
to invite Dad and sis for the 24th Sep 2011 奇妙之旅.
Although I was rejected by them but I'm glad that I
pluck up the courage to invite them and committed
the whole thing to God.


奇妙之旅 mark the history of our church, from a youth
group to a church, from borrow places to a place of our
own. God has abundantly provided for us physically and
spritually.

Office CA

As I step into office this morning, our office CA was standing at the switch area
complaining about the difficulty of switching on the office light. She walk away to
complain to another colleague, light is still off.

So I've to switch on the office light.As i thought about the whole incident, I was
unhappy with her that many a time she simple do the complaining and leave the
work for others to do. I was tempted to switch off  her work area lighting.

I thank God that I didn't fall into the temptation of my sinful though. If  i've done
so, I'll be no different from her, a person who do things that people destest.

Day 6 HCMC - Singapore

Beautiful Saigon 3 Hotel #1

This is the hotel cafe, we had our complimentary breakfast here.
Today is the last day in HCMC, we're taking a night flight home.

Beautiful Saigon 3 Hotel #2

After breakfast, we went to Ben Then Market for our last shopping, to get the G7 coffee

and some souvenir, we also drop by Saigon shopping center for some shopping. After

all the shopping, we went back hotel to check out and left our luggage in the hotel for

safe keep.

At the Salon #1

Since we've the time and some Vietnam Dong left, we went for a pedicure session at this
salon near by our hotel.

At the Salon #2

See, HS so happy to have her pedicure session. After our pedicure, we went to this Nam Giao restaurant (selling Hue food) for lunch.

Nam Giao Restaurant #1

Nam Giao Restaurant #2

Nam Giao Restaurant #3

We order the steam rice flour cake with shrimp and Hue beef noodle soup and
lemon soda drink.Yummy.

This is a bread stall that i saw, you must eat the french loaf in Vietnam. They are really
very nice to eat, crunch on the outside, yet it's soft inside.

Highlands Coffee #1

The highland coffee is like the starbuck of vietnam, you'll see there everywhere you go.
Because we've about 5 hour more before we go to airport, so we spent our time at the
highlands coffee to eat, read, talk...etc

Highlands Coffee #2

Highlands Coffee #3

Highlands Coffee #4

Still have money to have a piece of cheese cake.

Highlands Coffee #5

There's money for dinner at Highlands coffee too. It's was a rainy day for the last 2 day
of our trip. Thank God that we've less activity at the last 2 day.

Miss Y, hotel reception #1

Miss Y helped us to arrange a cab to the airport at 140,000 dong. Finally, money
not enough to pay for the cab in vietnam dong, we've some short fall. Here come
Miss Y to our rescue, she is so kind to change some US dollar to vietnam dong with us.
She really make my trip pleasurable.  Love her for that personal service.

Day 5 Muine to HCMC

At the beach #1

A morning walk at the beach.

At the beach #2

At the beach #3

At the beach #4

At the beach #5

Fairy springs #1

The Fairy Springs is located in Ham Tien (Mui Ne Beach) and wind through

breathtaking red and white sand cliffs, out to the beach.

Fairy springs #2

Fairy springs #3

Fairy springs #4

Fairy springs #5

What's behind us are not rocks and stone, they are red and white sand cliff.

Fairy springs #6

Guess who is been 'bang'?

Fairy springs #7

A snap shot of this pretty lady, what a nice umbrella she has.

Fish sauce jar

We pass by this place and saw jar and jar of fish sauce that the people store.

Fishing village #1

We pass by a fishing village and went down to take some photo. Thankfully,
we're still a distant away from them, spare from the fishy smell. I guess our
guide know that city people can't take the smell and didn't bring us down to
the shore.

Fishing village #2

Fishing village #3

Red sand dunes #1

Red sand dunes #2

Red sand dunes #3

Red sand dunes #4

A man simply sit down and rest.

Red sand dunes #5

Red sand dunes #6

Red sand dunes #7

Red sand dunes #8

Sledding down the red sand dunes.

Red sand dunes #9

This is a snap shot by accident but it came out to be a nice photo, huh.

Thap Poshanu Cham Tower #1

The Cham towers, a pagoda, a famous poet's tomb (Nguyen Thong). It's
situated in the Phu Hai district of Phan Thiet and offer the best view of the
city, rivers, mountains and beach.

Thap Poshanu Cham Tower #2

Thap Poshanu Cham Tower #3

View of the beach from Thap Poshanu Cham Tower.

Van Thuy Tu Temple #1

The Van Thuy Tu Temple is the oldest temple dedicated to whale worship.
This is the 22m whale skeleton, which is estimated to have weighed 65 tons
when alive. The temple have over 100 whale skeletons and other strange
species of fish.

Van Thuy Tu Temple #2

Met these kid at the museum, they simply love to take photo as they keep coming
to us for photo shooting.

Dragon fruit farm #1

It's my 1st time seeing a dragon fruit plantation.

Cashew nut factory #1

Hung brought us to the cashew nut factory. Wow, every piece of cashew nut 
was riped open manually. It's really hard work and hard earn money. HS say
that she will be more appreciative and thankful when she eat cashew nut after
seeing this.

Rubber plantation #1

On the journey back to HCMC, we passed by this rubber plantation.

Rubber plantation #2

It started to pour on our way back to HCMC. I'm thankful that we didn't choose
to travel on a motorbike but a car. The journey back from mui ne to HCMC was
not short. It will be very tiring on the bike and when it rain, we'll really be drenched.

Tous Les Jours  Cafe #1

We saw this cafe near our hotel on our way to our hotel. So we decided
to have our dinner here after we've checked in to the hotel.

Tous Les Jours  Cafe #2

This is our dinner. Coffee, sandwich and pastry.

Crazy Buffalo #1

Finally get to see this crazy buffalo pub. Have saw this land mark where
doing research for this trip. It really near to our hotel as shown on the map.