I think it took about a week or two of searching online and reading reviews, that Daddy finally decided to get Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2. ($700+)
Our good old Nikon CoolPix 5700 has served us for 3 years now and when it started to require a 2nd repair recently, we thought of letting it retire gracefully.
This new toy has a 12x optical zoom for zooming in on distant objects, coupled with the Sony "Super SteadyShot" optical image stabilization, so less concern of unwanted blurring from zooming with an unsteady pair of hands. It's quiet, which means I can snap sleeping pictures of my light-sleeper. Its faster than average shutter response is good for taking my two very active gals. In macro mode, it is able to focus clearly with a short distance of just 1cm from the subject. Movie recording mode (with sound), can do zooming while recording! While its manual exposure control is mainly for Daddy.
This is my choice for October desktop Calendar. The white flower somehow reminds me of the recent departure of Mrs. Lee Kuan Yew.
Farewell, Madam Kwa - MM Lee's "tower of strength".
Dear MM Lee,
May you know that God loves you and gave you His Only Son, Jesus Christ.
May you know that Jesus died on a cross for your sin, rose again and is coming back(Maranatha!).
May you know that Jesus is the Only Way to God.
Please stay strong...
We love you~
Dear God, may Your Strength be with MM Lee and heal him of lung infection. In this difficult moment of his life, losing his beloved wife and fighting against old age, may You O God, touch and preserve him unto Salvation. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen!
Did you know, He's loving you today...
Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Haven't gone for movies for a long time, it used to be my favorite thing to do during courtship days. I'm missing the Large popcorn, chips dipped in warm melted cheese and the muscular arm next to me, hehe! :D
Tryphena passed us a DVD on Sunday, so after the kids have gone to bed(they usually turned in early on Sunday night), we took time off from "FBing" and watch this movie, Hachi: A Dog's Tale, starring Richard Gere.
Based on a true story from Japan, this is such a moving film about a dog's loyalty. And what impressive loyalty this dog exuberant!
Parker, a college professor, found a loss Japanese Akita puppy at the train station, brought it home and finally kept it as a pet after failing to find it's owner. He called the puppy Hachi, which is a translation of the symbol in the puppy's collar.
Years pass and their love for each other grew. Every morning, Parker walks Hachi to the station where he leaves on the train. Hachi leaves after Parker's safe departure, but comes back in the afternoon to see his master's train arrive and walk with him home again. How sweet! And this continues for some time, until one fateful day, Parker passed out from cardiac arrest during his lecture and never come home.
Hachi waited. He waited for 9 years! Everyday he kept coming back to the same spot at the train station, waiting for his master to return... this is so heart breaking! Waiting for someone who will never return... this is so sad. I have never cried so hard before, this story made me cried so hard! :(
Remember I said this is a true story? I did a search on internet the next day and was surprise to see there's even a write-out from Wikipedia: Hachikō.
Hachikō!
I was amazed at the true story.. Hachikō eventually became a national symbol of loyalty. And WOW, his stuffed and mounted remains are kept at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo!
The legendary faithful~
And on Youtube, I found this interesting News report by CBS Evening News. I like how the video ended with this "A dog who was forever lonely for one more pat on the head, one last moment of his master's love." So, so touching~~
Maggie(the pet dog) doesn’t care much for television. She would rather look out a window than stare at a small screen. Reading doesn’t thrill her either. She has been known to “chew” on books, but only in the strictly literal sense. Nevertheless, when Jay and I read or watch TV, Maggie participates. Even though she doesn’t enjoy what we’re doing, she enjoys being with us. Maggie is our very devoted dog. More than anything (well, just about anything) Maggie wants to be with us.
The word dogged means “determined and persistent.” These words describe Maggie. They should also describe us. When we are devoted to God, we want to be with Him even when He’s doing something that makes no sense to us. We may ask, “Why, Lord?” when He seems angry (Ps. 88:14) or when He seems to be napping (44:23), or when the wicked prosper (Jer. 12:1). But when we remain devoted to God despite our questions, we find fullness of joy in His presence (Ps. 16:11).
Jesus knew that we would have questions. To prepare us for them, He urged us to abide in His love (John 15:9-10). Even when God’s ways are inexplicable, His love is reliable. So we remain doggedly devoted to Him.
Never should our love be just a word, A passing phase, a brief emotion; But love that honors Christ our Lord Responds to Him with deep devotion. —Hess
We find joy when we learn to abide in Jesus’ love.
I read too the Chinese translation as I didn't want to miss out what God wants to show me. Personally, I'm not a dog lover, I'm more of a cat woman, haha! After today, I truly understand what dog lovers always claim, "A dog is faithful to his master." I want to be a dog to my God! I want to be faithful!
Faithful till death~ 至死忠心~
I want to find times to be with my Maker, for there is Joy in His present. There is nothing to lose, but everything to gain. His Love, Joy and Peace are for those who seek Him! :)
God's love is reliable. So we remain doggedly devoted to Him~
但祂的爱却可靠无比，因此让我们永远对祂忠心~
Psalm 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
"Good morning, my love :x Still remember this exciting day 13 years ago? The day when you officially belong to me :D The day when you looked the most beautiful and became the center of attraction. The day we counted ang-pow until our hands went wobbly. Thank God that He gave me my heart's desire and grace for the past 13 years. May He give us more grace and may our love grow from strength to strength. Finally, if given the chance to choose all over, I will still say "I do!" Reading MM Lee's interview, reminded us to be grateful for each other. May we continue to love Jesus and each other until He comes again. Maranatha!"
Received this SMS when I was in the office... Thank you, Philip, for your lovely short message~ Yes, may we continue to love our Lord, the Saviour of our souls and each other until He comes again for us. Maran-atha!!
I find it significant that on the eve of our 13th WA, Sunday Times published an interview of our Minister Mentor Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, by Seth Mydans of The New York Times. You can read it in the New York Times’ Saturday Profile. In the interview, MM Lee spoke of his wife, Kwa Geok Choo, 89...
“I’m reaching 87, trying to keep fit, presenting a vigorous figure, and it’s an effort, and is it worth the effort?” he said. “I laugh at myself trying to keep a bold front. It’s become my habit. I just carry on.”
His most difficult moments come at the end of each day, he said, as he sits by the bedside of his wife, Kwa Geok Choo, 89, who has been unable to move or speak for more than two years. She had been by his side, a confidante and counselor, since they were law students in London.
“She understands when I talk to her, which I do every night,” he said. “She keeps awake for me; I tell her about my day’s work, read her favorite poems.” He opened a big spreadsheet to show his reading list, books by Jane Austen, Rudyard Kipling and Lewis Carroll as well as the sonnets of Shakespeare.
Lately, he said, he had been looking at Christian marriage vows and was drawn to the words: “To love, to hold and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse till death do us part.”
“I told her, ‘I would try and keep you company for as long as I can.’ That’s life. She understood.” But he also said: “I’m not sure who’s going first, whether she or me.”
I fight back my tears reading this... the stress of his wife’s illness is constant and harder on him than stresses he faced for years in the political arena, my heart went out to our dear MM Lee. It is really hard when someone so dear to you is fighting to live on. I wonder if I ever could take it if Philip were to leave this world before I do... I used to tell him that he is not allow to go before me!
MM Lee was drawn to the words of the Christian marriage vows lately, I have plans to review the marriage vows on our WA as a yearly practice, on top of the celebration. :)
I, Lydia,
take you Philip,
to be my wedded husband,
to have and to hold from this day forward,
for better for worse,
for richer for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish,
'til death do us part:
according to God's holy ordinance,
and thereto I pledge you my love and faithfulness.
Lydia ♥ Philip
"Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." - Matthew 19:6
Dear Philip, I think of us growing old gracefully together and enjoy watching our children graduate from school; start working; get married and bringing forth godly offspring. I think of us being rapture together, haha! A cord of three strands is not quickly broken, God has united us together in a covenant relationship with Him as one, how wonderful this is! With God in our marriage, we would be fine. Let nothing separates us, not health or sickness, wealth or poverty, better or worst, and hey, not even death if Rapture comes first~ Maranatha! Maran-atha!!
"Maranatha" is an Aramaic phrase which means "O Lord, come!" It is a prayer for the early return of Jesus Christ. If divided differently as in "Maran-atha", it becomes a declaration: "Our Lord has come!"
As these phrases may have been used as a greeting between Early Christians, Pastor taught us to greet each other too using them. So, when one greets "Maranatha"(O Lord, come!), the other replies with "Maran-atha"(Our Lord has come!). I SO love this greeting! To me, it is a great reminder of the Imminent Return of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour! :)
Interestingly, this Aramaic phrase is being mentioned by MM Lee and more on the fleeting of life... :
“I try to busy myself,” he said, “but from time to time in idle moments, my mind goes back to the happy days we were up and about together.” Agnostic and pragmatic in his approach to life, he spoke with something like envy of people who find strength and solace in religion. “How do I comfort myself?” he asked. “Well, I say, ‘Life is just like that.’ ”
“What is next, I do not know,” he said. “Nobody has ever come back.”
But in these final years, he said, his life has been darkened by the illness of his wife and companion of 61 years, bedridden and mute after a series of strokes.
At night, hearing the sounds of his wife’s discomfort in the next room, he said, he calms himself with 20 minutes of meditation, reciting a mantra he was taught by a Christian friend: “Ma-Ra-Na-Tha.”
The phrase, which is Aramaic, comes at the end of St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, and can be translated in several ways. Mr. Lee said that he was told it means “Come to me, O Lord Jesus,” and that although he is not a believer, he finds the sounds soothing.
Oh, how I pray that it is more than just meditation, but a sincere cry out to Jesus Christ, God's Only Son; Who was and is and is to come!
Jesus came 2000 years ago. He took the punishment of our sins upon Himself and paid the price by dying on the cross. He didn't remain dead, He came back to life! History recorded that Jesus rose again on the 3rd day and showed Himself to His disciples for 40 days. Then He was ascended into Heaven, seated now at the right hand of God. Angels appeared proclaiming that Jesus is coming back again in the same way He's been ascended.
Jesus Christ did come back. He conquer death. You can too, Mr MM Lee. And my sincere prayer to God is that you may find Eternal Life in Christ Jesus. :)
Romans 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Been receiving newsletters from CrossDaily.com since June'09 when Philip sent me an Ecard, only till April'10 that I bordered to check out their Christian Graphics... found this Calendar Download and LOVE it!
My present desktop My first's My Favourite!
It used to be pictures of my baby, now it's scenery with Calendar adorning my desktop, coupled with Scriptures~ I'm blessed with new fresh thoughts by it every month... No worries, my sweet baby, I still get to see you in my mobile's wallpaper ;)
Given 4 types of calendar to chose from every month, these were my choices:
As I only started in April, I check back and thought I would have chosen the following for March, Feb and Jan:
Now go ahead and click away: Calendar Download, and set your desktop to some beautiful, inspiring Calendar~
Thought of recording my script for Sunday Worship now that I have started to type them down instead of the ancient way of writing down in my note book. I find that it's faster and it's convenient, easier to make amendment with CTL C & V rather than using asterisks and hexes, with arrows flying all over my note!
SO, here it is! This is my notes on worship leading conducted on 18 July 2010. The theme was "Beholding Jesus Christ~" (I thought it would be nice to insert video clips of the songs I led, only if I can find them... yup!)
Greetings: (1 peter 1 : 1-2) To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout (Hougang, Sengkang, Punggol, Pasir Ris, Ang Mo Kio, Thomson, Yishun, Serangoon, Sambawang), who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Without A Vision the People Perish
Proverbs 29: 18a “Where there is no vision, the people perish”
When you do not have a vision, you perish, lost souls perish and churches perish. As we gear ourselves up to pray, let’s have a vision for this church, for this nation. Let’s share a dream for this place and for this land.
Chorus 82 – We Have a Vision (Prayer)
Last week I’ve finished reading the book of Jeremiah, altogether 52 chapters. I’ve forgotten how long, or rather, how many years I’ve taken to read from Genesis up to Jeremiah. Maybe 7 years because I started before Tiffany was born. Really, no bluff, but then of course, it’s not speed reading, I read also the Chinese version after the English one, chapter by chapter.
I remember once I sat behind Jaren Teo before the service starts, and he was reading the Bible. So I asked him, "How many times you have read through the Bible?" I think he said, “A few times.”
The Bible is all about JESUS. Jesus is pictured or prophesied about in each of the 66 books, as well as in countless types or in the lives of different characters in the Bible.
My theme today is “Beholding Jesus Christ.”
As I present to you the Jesus in all the 66 books of the Bible, I invite you to behold him, and then to love and worship him with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Amen.
In Genesis, Jesus is the Ram at Abrahams alter.
In Exodus, He’s the Passover Lamb.
In Leviticus, He’s the high Priest.
In Numbers, He’s the Cloud by day
And Pillar of Fire by night.
In Deuteronomy, He’s the City of our refuge.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In Joshua, He’s the Scarlet Thread out Rahabs window.
In Judges, He is our Judge.
In Ruth, He is our Kinsman Redeemer.
In 1st and 2nd Samuel, He’s our Trusted Prophet.
And in Kings and Chronicles, He’s our Reigning King.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In Ezra, He is our Faithful Scribe.
In Nehemiah, He’s the Rebuilder of everything that is broken.
And in Esther, He is the Mordecai sitting Faithful at the gate.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In Job, He’s our Redeemer that ever liveth.
In Psalms, He is my Shepherd, and I shall not want.
In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, He’s our Wisdom.
And in the Song of Solomon, He’s the Beautiful Bridegroom.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In Isaiah, He’s the Suffering Servant.
In Jeremiah and Lamentations, It is Jesus that is the Weeping Prophet.
In Ezekiel, He’s the Wonderful Four-Faced Man.
And in Daniel He is the Fourth Man in the midst of a fiery furnace.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In Hosea, He is my Love that is forever faithful.
In Joel, He baptizes us with the Holy spirit.
In Amos, He’s our Burden Bearer.
In Obadiah Our Savior.
And In Jonah, He is the Great Foreign Missionary that takes the Word of God into all of the world.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
And you see in Micah,
He is the Messenger with beautiful feet.
In Nahum, He is the Avenger.
In Habakkuk, He is the Watchman that is ever praying for revival.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In Zephaniah, He is the Lord mighty to save.
In Haggai He is the Restorer for our lost heritage.
In Zechariah, He is our fountain.
And in Malachi, He is the Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
Let’s arise as we go into the New Testament:
In Matthew, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
In mark, He is the Miracle Worker.
In Luke, He’s the Son of man.
And in John, He is the Door by which everyone of us must enter.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In Acts, He is the Shining Light that appears to Saul on the road to Damascus.
In Romans, He is our Justifier.
In 1st Corinthians our Resurrection.
In 2nd Corinthians our Sin Bearer
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In Galatians, He redeems us from the law.
In Ephesians, He is our Unsearchable Riches.
In Philippians, He supplies our every need.
And in Colossians, He’s the Fullness of the God Head Bodily.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, He is our Soon Coming King.
In 1st and 2nd Timothy, He is the Mediator between God and man.
In Titus, He is our Blessed Hope.
In Philemon, He is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother.
And in Hebrews, He’s the Blood of the Everlasting covenant.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
In James, it is the Lord that heals the sick.
In 1st and 2nd Peter, He is the Chief Shepherd.
In 1st, 2nd and 3rd John, it is Jesus who has the tenderness of love.
In Jude, He is the Lord coming with 10,000 saints.
-------(Paused for Interpretation)-------
And in Revelation, Lift up your eyes, Church, for your redemption draweth nigh.
He is King of kings and Lord of lords!!!!!!!
Chorus 178 – No Other Name.
No other name but the name of Jesus No other name but the name of the Lord No other name but the name of Jesus He is worthy of Honour & worthy of Glory And worthy of Power and of Praise
His Name is exalted high above the earth His Name is high above the Heavens His Name is exalted high above the earth Give Glory & Honour & Praise unto His Name
The Book of Psalm is found in the very center of the Bible. Beholding Jesus in Psalms, I see that He is my Shepherd, and I shall not want.
Brothers and sisters, are you in want? Are you in some form of needs? Healing? Provision? Wisdom? Love? Or just a touch from God?
Whatever your need maybe, come to Jesus, He is your Shepherd. Come to Jesus now and He will make you lie down in green, green pastures.
Come to Jesus; come to the Shepherd of your soul. Then, restoration, guidance, boldness, comfort, victory, anointing, provision, goodness and love are yours to keep for all the days of your life. Hallelujah!
Chorus 238 – You Make Me Lie Down in Green Pastures.
You fill my hunger with honey from your sweet, sweet word-The Holy Bible! O how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. When Your words came, I ate them, they are my joy and my heart’s delight.
Brothers and sisters, we who bear the name of the Lord God Almighty, let’s eat and let’s feast on His word like never before. Praise God for His word and for all of you who’re God’s elect! Hallelujah!
You maybe seated and I shall open this time for testimony and God’s word.
Monolingual 17 – Let Praise Arise (Offering) Let praise arise In the midst of thee, O Zion Let the praises of God be in thy mouth Let praise arise In the midst of thee, O Zion Wave His banner forevermore
For He has chosen us to be His people A royal priesthood who worship Him Singing praises to the King of ages Eternal Lord is He Eternal Lord is He
Let.... Wave His banner forevermore (3x)
And.... it’s a Banner of LOVE~
Chorus 135 – How Excellent is Your Name (Message Proper)
Lydia: Oh yes, our pastor! He is our spiritual Papa who prays daily for us. I feel much better now, knowing that at least I have a father who is praying for me everyday.
Sarah: 经你这么说，我也感到很安慰！
Lydia & Sarah (together) : 诶... We have another Father! / 我们还有一位爸爸！
Lydia : Our Heavenly Father!
Sarah: 我们的天父！
Lydia: The greatest Father of all! Who loves not only us, but also our unsaved fathers, because "He so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son!"
Lydia: Yes. Today we would like to dedicate this song "A loving Father" to our Heavenly Father who loves us, and our spiritual papa - Pastor, and to all the Daddies. Especially for our yet-to-be-saved daddies, that they may know how great is the love the Father has lavished on them.
~A Loving Father 愛我的天父~
I have a loving Father who never gives up on me, His love's always there to restore me. Yes, I know He will care for me. I know He will care for me.
In times of many trials. In times of many fears. And You never leave nor forsake me. Yes, I know You will care for me. I know You will care for me.
Draw me closer to Your heart. Embrace me in Your arms. I will love You my Father. You are my everything.
有位愛我的天父，祂永遠不放棄我， 祂愛的同在使我完全，我深知祂顧念著我，我知祂顧念著我。
在許多危難時刻，在流淚的過程，祢永不離開或丟棄我， 我深知祢顧念著我，我知祢顧念著我。
吸引我貼近祢心，擁抱在祢懷裡， 我愛祢我的天父，祢是我的一切。
Me and my dear sister, Sarah, presented this song on Father's Day. The dialogue you read was our introduction, an idea from my sister who is loaded with "drama cells"（戏剧细胞）。 Thank God that I managed to memorize the whole dialogue, it was no easy-peasy task ok, 死了很多细胞才把它给背熟的！ :P
My 2 year-old girl, Thaddea, could sing this song too! When I was practicing the song with the guitar, she would take up her toy microphone and sing along, "I have a loving father~ who never gives up on me~~~" haha, too cute! My three girls are truly blessed to have a daddy who prays for them right from the moment they were conceived. Thank God for answering those prayers. Hallelujah!
1 John 3：1a Behold, how great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
两个星期前， 我的一位网友, Clement, 获得两张 Eric Moo 'Moments' 2010 Asia Tour 巫启贤《最初的感动》2010 亚洲巡回演唱会的入门票， 过后写了一篇观后感@KiNiGu，从那得知巫启贤的一头白发竟是自然色， 觉得好惊讶哦！这二十多年来他都必须把头发染黑？ 太不可思议了！
We were at CompassPoint last week and there was a made-aware promotion on Youth Olympic Games. Counters were set up for children to try their hands on different games like Table Tennis, Soccer, Basketball, Fencing and Handball.
Theophila was so brave to try out Fencing. Tiffany and my 2YO toddler, Thaddea, tried playing Handball!
Watch them in actions:
Look what I found on the internet when I searched for Handball games:
A super-cool picture of women-handball games in real action!
The TV, you can see it in the Video I took of my girls playing handball, was constantly playing the YOG Cheer - You Are The One Singapore, which I think is quite catchy for a cheer... OH YEAH, OH YEAH, OH YEAH, HEY! :D
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Received these pictures of cat via MSM from my dear sister(大姐), Sarah, and that was in August last year!
I still remembered that I've got to retrieve them from M1 website as my mobile was not able to view. Altogether 6 beautiful pictures of mostly tabby cats.
A tabby is a cat with a distinctive coat that features stripes, dots, or swirling patterns, usually together with an "M" mark on its forehead.
I renamed each picture as sarah-cat1 to sarah-cat6.jpg... I know she definitely love to own one. You see, the place where we spend our childhood has many such cats and we love playing with them. I still remembered once we found two cute kittens at our void deck and begged our parents to let us keep the kittens as pets, but they cruelly said no. We then secretly kept the kitten at a small power-station(!) near our home, we put them in a cardboard box placed side-way as their home, put in some rags to keep them warm at night, and a bowl of water to quench their thirst... we even sneaked out in the evening with some rice and fish secretly saved from our dinner for the kittens to eat... but by the next day, those two kittens had wondered away and were nowhere to be found! :(
Thinking about this remind me of what Jesus said in John 14 that He had gone to prepare a place for us, and that He is coming back to bring us Home... I pray that before Christ's Return, I would not wonder away from this Blessed Hope. God helps me! :)
John 14:1-6 Jesus Comforts His Disciples "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
Jesus the Way to the Father Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Have been wanting to do this for the longest time... so happy that it's finally done. This sure gives me motivation to carry on blogging! :)
On... to the next project: New blog skin for Savouring the Girls!
Revelation 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
I've had this awesome thought of how my heart would beat without any assistance, no power supply or battery operating, but it beats alright. And because it beats, blood carrying oxygen is being pump into all my organs so I am still kicking(alive). Now, who keeps my heart beating??? None other than my Creator God, for in Him I live and move and have my being! Praise God!! :)
Tell me who make these teeny weenie hearts pump....
No clue?
Our Creator God, of course~ ：）*Philip took these pics at our rooftop garden
The children from the upper primary of the Children's Church Sunday School presented a very lively worship song: Every Move I Make.
At the start of the music, everyone was like "Wow... so hot!". Okay, maybe that's just me, haha! It has been a long, long time since there's such a lively, fast beat song being presented in our church. Even my little 2-year-old couldn't resist joining in the dance moves! The dance choreographer, Sarah Tan, had to literally drag Thaddea out, and of course, she cried so loud in protest! I was like, "OH NO! Please don't ruin the presentation!" I held her so tight in my arms and "dance" to the music on the spot at a corner trying to distract her, hehehe... We all enjoyed the presentation~
I'd like to think that the children did very well, remembering the steps and all. And thank you, Sarah Tan, for getting them to do this. May God continue to make you an inspiration!
Look out for my 2-year-old barging in at 0:14 and then cried the loudest, haha! :P
I went home singing "na-na, na-na-na-na-na..." in my head for many days! Then I went on Youtube to look for this song, there are so many clips of people dancing to this song! I found one which I like the best, watch the lady dancing with such gusto! And watch again the uncle dancing next to her, very cute!
I like the part which looks like they were "brushing off bugs from their heads" at 0:15, so cute! haha!! :)
Lyrics: Every move I make I make in You, (You make me move Jesus) Every Breath I take I Breath in You Every step I take I take in You, (You are my way Jesus) Every Breath I take I Breath in You Chorus: Waves of Mercy Waves of Grace Everywhere I Look, I See Your Face Your Love has captured Me Oh My God this Love, How can it Be!
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na (x4)
Acts 17:24-29 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man(Jesus Christ) he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
Ezra, by now is a charming 9-year-old(8+, to be exact), has victoriously gone through a year of chemotherapy, and now onto his maintenance phase. I wrote about how Ezra was diagnosed with first stage Leukemia in one of my post Not for Us Only... back in October last year.
When Make*A*Wish people came to Ezra and asked him what did he wish for, these were what he wished for:
1. To be a (successful) businessman. 2. To ride in a Lamborghini. 3. To play lots of games and win many prizes. 4. To be a Pilot.
Hey hey, that's more than a wish, haha! 5 wishes to be exact because Ezra wanted to open his own shop and sell things too as a businessman.
WOW! WOW! WOW! We were very impressed how Make*A*Wish people fulfilled every-single-wish of Ezra... to the point of flying a plane!
First, they tailor-made for him a business suit. Then on Wish Day, he went to "his" newly open Roti-Prata shop and then to "his" Car Showroom where he "closed" a deal worth US$1 million dollars... then, Ezra was given a ride in a Lamborghini before being sent to Suntec City Convention hall for his party... cool!! See the following video clip for the full story:
Can you see Ezra in "his" Lamborghini??
Ahh... that's better!
*Waves*
The youngest successful businessman & his Lamborghini~(Wish #1 & 2)
See Uncle Chris buzzing off...
Make*A*Wish flags
Poster outside the Party Room
Ezra's Wish Party!
Happy Wish Day, Ezra!
Interviewed by the "press" and giving out his "name cards"
Ezra's collections!
There were Wii and racing cars games.(Wish #3)
The party ended with Ezra winning many BIG prizes from the racing games, his little friends were in total awe as they kept hearing the announcement that "Ezra has won again!"
Ezra's thankyou speech and a song special；
Wish #4 was fulfilled on the following weekend when Ezra would fly a stimulated airplane! How cool~
I am very thankful to God for blessing Ezra with this Wish Party. What a memorable day Ezra's Wish Day was!
Thank God for Make*A*Wish Singapore! The fact that they didn't just fulfilled one of the 5 wishes that Ezra made even though it was suppose to be "Make A wish".
Thank God for all the sponsors(Temasek Holdings and some other which I didn't get it, but am truly grateful!) who made this event possible!
Thank God for all the wonderful volunteers! Their dedication is amazing!
The following Sunday after his maiden flight(as a pilot), Ezra, dressed in his business suit(which was given to him FOC), gave glory to God during Sunday Service in church.
We prayed through that one whole year of Ezra receiving treatments for his ALL condition. We have a Prayer Band in our church where we would receive SMS on prayer requests of members who need emergency prayer support. I have lost track of how many times the Prayer Band was activated to pray for Ezra, but I do remember some of the requests were quite frightening at times if not heart-breaking... beside the usual side effects of being nausea, vomiting, having poor appetite, there were occasions when Ezra had high fever(increased risk of infection caused by white cell abnormalities) and he cannot be given paracetamol(Panadol) because he has an allergy to it. So, imagine you having high fever and nothing you could take to lower the fever, nothing to relief your pain and nothing to ease your aches!
There were life-threatening occasions too when Ezra's blood platelets count drop to the lowest of the lowest... But, PRAISE BE TO GOD who heard and answered our earnest prayer for this little boy and preserved his precious life!
The most heart breaking to me was when we were called to pray for a procedure where a chest tube is inserted into Ezra's pleural space permanently for the administration of chemo treatments.... What can I say, thank God for seeing Ezra through every-single-day for the past year!
God will definitely carry Ezra in His Mighty Arms and bring him through this year - the last phase of his treatment. We are praying for a complete deliverance from blood cancer for Ezra. We are believing God for His complete healing touch upon Ezra Lim! Amen! And Amen!!
An extract from Tong Hak's(Ezra's mummy) testimony - Forever Grateful:
"Though this journey was tough, with much pain and tears, but with Christ in the vessel, we can sail and smile at the storm. With much loss, too, (financially, emotionally, socially, mentally and physically) - but nothing compared to the gain that we have achieved.
He increases our faith in Him. He brings us to a greater height in our trusting Him. He strengthens us emotionally and mentally. He provides our finance. His continual shower of grace and mercy has taught us how to praise and thank Him even more. He enriches our life experiences.
Once again, "Forever grateful, forever thankful to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!" "
Psalm 103:1-6 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
I think it took about a week or two of searching online and reading reviews, that Daddy finally decided to get Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2. ($700+)
A permanent fixture at the train station
Lydia ♥ Philip
Me(the one floating in the air, haha) and my 大姐，Sarah~
