reflections

Yes. I've tendered my resignation letter last week. Someone offered me a job before i tendered and i rejected the offer.

Crazy. Yes. Most people tink i'm crazy. I tink i am too!:p
But when Moses brought the people of Israel to the waters, did the people too tink that he's crazy? When young David fought Goliath with 3 small stones, was he crazy too? Somehow, ya, by logical sense,it's really crazy.

To raise your rod, stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. <>
Yet, it happened in God's word:

"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and to their left.." Exodus 14: 21-22

"And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, when the Egyptians were fleeing into it.So the Lord overthrew th Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not as much as one of them remained." Exodus 14: 27-28

For the past 1 month, when i walk from my block, thru the green fields, to the bus stop, i thought to myself : is this what i wanna do for the rest of my life? To spend my whole life slogging for profits and material needs with a crisp of hyprocrisy and materialism in the corporate world. Is this what i wanna pursue -ambition and career at the expense of my family,my husband, frens, and in future my kids. It seems too true to know that one can never serve 2 masters: money or God. Where your heart is, there your treasure is. i asked myself, asked God where my heart is.

i've been tinking for too long to let go of everything and focus on what i should do. Too many worldy things that i can't bear to let go- the materialism of life, the ambitions. I realise that these things crippled my walk with God. It's time to let go. God seems to wake me up suddenly from a dream in my own world. Somehow, in our lives, sometimes, we got cluttered with many things that crippled our walk with God and God just came one day and decide it;s time for spring cleaning. haha....:P It's going to be messy, dirty, PaInful....Yet, when it;s clean,it's going to be a clean vessel for the work of God.

Somehow, it seems God just convicted me: Just do it! Seems very Nike right? <> So one morning, i woke up, asked T to type the letter and submitted it that same day.

In pursuit of material needs and career, i have sacrified time for hubby, sacrficed the domestic support i should give to hubby, sacrificed time to minister and most importantly, sacrified time for God.I've never sacrfice anything in my entire life. Coz i always believe in fighting for ur own rights. And this time round, the Lord taught me self-sacrifice.

Yes. This time round, i've chosen to quit my job! <> To me,it's the first step to bide goodbye to materialism of the corporate world and the hectic schedule. I'm not taking any job in the next one month. Next month will be for God. I've spent enough time working for my boss, It;s time to give this one month for God.

I need to slow down my pace, take time to dwell in God's presence, spend more time ministering to small group people and cook for hubby. He's been falling sick and i really hope to cook some healthy home cooked food for him. SInce i've been so engrossed in my work, i haven't been cooking for him. And he has never complained about his wife not cooking or cleaning up the house as often as she should.He deserves much more healthy food than i can give him now.

Sometimes i wonder. We spend so much time on our corporate work, yet how much time do we spend on God' work and ministering to His people. WHo is our master? Our corporate boss or God? It's sad to see people motivated and bz for career, yet laid back for God's work. May the Lord open the eyes of His people to see His lost sheep without a shepherdand be burdened for His work.

Wish me all the best! Pray for me as i spend the next one month resting in God. Pray for Terence and i as the Lord continues to lead and prepare us for some major changes in our lives. May His will be done in our lives for His glory.

My darlin's birthday

Today is a very important day. It's Daphne's birthday!!! (I won't say her age, you gotta ask her yourself haha)

Ok let me warm up my supa suave soprano voice with a happy burpday tune.... NOT!!!! :P

Anyway, being the bargain-hunter that I am, I scoured the ENTIRE internet for good food with nice ambience and a reasonable price. And lo and behold, after 3 clicks, I found my trusty UOB Dining Rewards referring to a nice Thai buffet.

It just happened that my Dad's car was available, so I zipped down to grab the flowers









































Nice eh? =)

Then I picked Daphne up from her office. She was ravishing, as usual. Heh, God's so good to me. Hehe. Here's us at the restaurant, Beads Restaurant and Lounge at Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel.



































Looks yummy eh? I think I ate too much hehe.


Well, on reflection, it's been a wonderful 7th birthday I've celebrated with Daphne. It's always so wonderful to see someone you love adoring the flowers you give her. (Though we guys can NEVER understand why these plants are so 'powerful') ^o^

As each birthday passes, as we grow together with God's leading, we know that He has a wonderful plan ahead for our lives.

Little steps, tiny steps
For man, taken like a doe
Moving forward in the plan
From the God who loves us so

Seeing not the path ahead
beyond our myopic sight
But trusting in the vision
of the Master only wise

Lights the road
Clears the way
Seeks our good
If only we'd obey

So we go forth in faith
Lean on His breast
Knowing that He goes before us
On His perfect will, we rest

Free food! (Overdue but nice)

Ever forgot to eat your lunch before? Been there, done that.

Ever ate leftover food before? 2 days old maybe, but how about 2 weeks late? =)

Well, when we were digging up old vouchers for shopping 'exercise', we found a "Free Dinner for 2 @ Silver Shell Cafe @ Rasa Sentosa Shangri-la" voucher. And it had already expired for a week! Anyway, my brilliant wife swiftly executed a "we'll come this weekend so it's expired but never mind right?" manouvre and got us our customer rights. (After multiple personnel referrals, and finally someone gave us a reservation. But never give name, so un-pro!)

I also swiftly procured us the use of dad-in-law's car for the night. Normally, they would be driving off to their cell group on Friday nights, but thank God they had cell-group at their house, so we could use the car that night. Off we went, to the land of free-makan!


Here's what the food looks like. Not bad stuff since it would have cost us $95 if not for my darlin's super marketing-trained haggling-for-overdue-freebies skillz =)

At The MaRkEt!

Yes!Let's going MARKETING today! YiPeE!

" Everything is marketing and marketing is everything!"-that's something i remember from one of the NTU marketing lecturers.

A good product will never be known to be good if it is not MARKETED! U have a good engineer to design the product, but What's the point? Ultimately, u need a GOOD marketer to market it out! You need not ONLY be good, you must be good in MARKETING Yourself out. When you have learnt to smoke without being known to smoke, you have succeeded in marketing. That's the power of marketing!! hahaha......

So, Here's the NTu Biz Galz who "smoked" thru marketing school with me!

Pics at my chijmes wedding, christmas party @ Tania's place and Tania's ROM @ merchant court!

My FiRst CaKe!

Introducing my buddies/ comrades from NTU Biz marketing, there's:

Tania: the smart one. all time well-groomed, well dressed vainpot, most sacrificial and tolerant of us all ! Ex-stewardess. Currently the best wife one can ever find who can give up everything for her hubby!

Weini: my roomie in hall who updates us on who comes with full makeup to the 8.30 morning lecture with that long skirt you wear to the beach and whois dating who in hall and who broke up ! Currently the straightforward stubborn wife who is a clean freak!

Lilian: IT geek! The logical, diligent, diplomatic one whom u will never see in skirts and dresses. Most decent of us all! Gives decent advice.

Sydney: Sarcastic teacher with the big heart for the kids in school. Most perservering of us all! Emotionally strong!

Marianne: The Political one.Most ambitious of us all to climb up the corporate leader. The friend who cleans up your mess during breakup or anything and gives good advice. She's the strategist!

and me Daphne: I'm the "rebellious" stubborn " can't make-up my mind" gal yet knows deep down in her heart what she really wants, just refusing to admit it.



Th gals bought a Swensons COokies and Cream cake-my first cake of the yr, and celebrated an early birthday for me. WHen they sung the song, myheart just melted...:P It's jusz thosekind of fuzzy feeling and u feel as if you are on top of the mountain. So touched.

I love the simple,cosy setting away from the orchard crowd where we juz laz around at Weini'splace and chat till past midnite. There's not many frens i call buddies and they are really the buddies i can say who knows me and loves me! And we can shoot each other down sarcastically and no one takes it to heart. Though we are so diff, generally, we are all quite crazy, sarcastic and frank.And we are just ourselves with each other. It's certainly a birthday i'll remember! i love simple gatherings!

Thanks for everything gals. Love you lots!

Hugs, daphne.....
Ter sleeping like a log now....gotta join him! :P

date without candles!

My parents planning a family trip to Bangkok- My parents, sis & hubby, Ter & me. ANd i'm reallie looking forward to it! HAd dinner date with my younger sis just now and it kinda brings back sweet memories.

It's been a long time since i last have a chance to spend quality time with my family and sometimes, i do miss the warmth of the traditional Tan family and all the house rules which i used to rebel against:

- No hamsters in the living room. Animals are only allowed in the kitchen.
- Report to dad as long as you don't come home after school.
-No overnight stays at Bf's home or overnight holidays as long as we are not married
-No bermudas to church. No slippers to church. ( i got scolded once when i was young when i wore bermudas for a SAT informal Youth service)
-No spaghetti tops in and out of the house ( my mum is quite strict on this though she's a charismatic at heart) ( my sis used to sneak out with spaghetti top ONLY when mum away. Think i dunno- she always has SPARE sweater in her bag. And once she's within 200m from home, she's in her sweater again even when it's freaking hot) hahaha.so funny.
-No horror movies to be watched
-No horror books in the house. ( i hide my books)
-No wearing of clothes and accessories associated with snakes or dragons.( I used to have a cute dragon t-hirt during my sec days n my dad refuse to let me wear it)
-No TV when we're having dinner

i come from a close-kinted family who talks about everything under the sun. We talk about pastors and their preaching styles, the modesty of dancers in church,which musician my sis is dating, the song leaders in church, which drummer is too rock and of course Spirit filled charismatics and word filled BAptists. haha....:p That's a SENSITIVE issue and i've learnt my lesson not to pursue this matter too much with Mum. There are just certain issues that are to be made firm our stand but not quarrel over the dinner table. Mum is always telling Ter &me that too much word chokes up your brain and makes you a Pharisee. well,well,well.........i shall give no comments.:P


Dad used to drive the whole familyto church and though i've married ,i do miss dad driving us to church and going out lunch with them after church. Miss the malaysia retreats out with dad's cell group and the church so familiar to me. Memories are always sweet. It's been so many years since i left Renewal.(RCC) While we were dating, Ter visits Renewal on Sat and i visit BFC on Sun. It reaches a point whereby we can no longer be in 2 diff church. SOmehow, during a prayer meeting at Renewal, God affirmed me that BFC is where He wants Ter & me to be. I wept that night. I love friends, family at Renewal, but it;s not where God wants me to be. To obey God and take up the cross, to submit and GO.....to leave familiar friends and family. The Lord taught me the lesson of leaving that day. i cried and struggled the first 6 mths in BFC. It was a culture shock.It was just painful. But, somehow,it strengthened the love between Ter & I as we learn to go thru this trial and emotional rollar coaster together as a couple.

Memories are to be cherished deeply. But i guess, for the work of God, how many have left their beloved family and friends for the greater calling of their lives? Leaving will never be easy. But to leave to obey God's calling, that is indeed an honor. To live and to die for God, what more can one ask for?

God seems to be teaching me many lessons of leaving- A wife to leave her parents for a new family unit, a gal to leave her familiar charismatic church and friends for a traditional church with totally foreign alien culture she has never known in her entire life. I remember stories;

- People holding unto certain burden in their lives that restrict them from running this race for God whole-heartedly and effectively.

-People holding on so tight on their lives and refusing God to enter and take control of their loves.

-Parents holding unto their grown-up married kids

-Married kids holding unto their parents

One story touched me though:
God has only one son and He made Him a missionary.

Are you holding unto your kids?
Are we ready to "lose" our kids and give them to the Lord's work in a foreign land?

Well, my struggle continues....how about u? :P

My parents/sis went to Dubai!

My parents and sister went to Dubai last week. Really expensive food I hear, S$150-200 per meal per person AT LEAST! *faints* Well, at least they got a pair of complimentary air tickets and free accommodation with Mabel.

Mmm, I promised Daphne a holiday soon. I wonder what we can afford heh.

Anyway, ceh ceh, here are the photos I uploaded for you on flicker :)

Photos 1 to 68

Photos 69-end

sweetest things

Oh Ya! It's not a bird! Not a plane! Its' "THEM" !!!- The Ngs!! :P

The sweetest couple in BFC invited us over to their house for dinner last Mon, to test out Jan's Thai cuisine. Wow....i luv her Tom Yum soup and home made tea! Jan's reallie a good cook and i bet she put many of us Singapore ladies to shame. I wonder how many of us Singapore ladies can truly cook a decent meal. Josh is truly blessed to marry this young lady! Sometimes, after church, life is so hectic with all the rehearsals,ministry stuff n in-laws visits. And, i truly thank God for the sweet fellowship over the fabulous dinner with Josh & Jan. Always wanted to make time to meet up with them , but, never succeeded. SO i'm glad we had the dinner.

To me, they have a humble simple cosy home. No fanciful wallpaper nor designer furniture nor famous artist's works. Nothing fanciful as perceived by the world, yet to me, they have everything ever in this world ---- A home built on firm foundation of God's love and word, a home filled with wonderful meangingful memories of sweet fellowship with bethren, a home filled abundantly with God's love and blessings. This is worth far more than the riches of this world.

What good it is to have gained the whole world yet forfeit one's soul? Reminds me of King Solomon who had everything in the world- wealth and wisdom, yet in Ecclesiastes ( a bk in the bible) , he wrote about his mental journey thru life and explains how everything he tried, tasted or tested was meaningless, meaningless, meaningless.......

At the end of the book, he concluded : " Now all has been heard, here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man"- Ecc 12: 13

I remember many yrs back, when i started working in the corporate world, The Lord impressed this verse upon my heart:

"I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift or to the battle to the strong, nor does the food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare,so men ar trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them." Ecc 9: 11

" Whoever loves money never has money enough:
Whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningful" Ecc 5: 10

" The sleep of a labourer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep." Ecc 5: 12

As many gets caught in the rat race in pusuit of weath and riches, I pray that The Lord will raise up labourers after His own heart and preserve the hearts of His people to stay focused on His work.

-daphne waiting for pizza delivery....

Bintan Marriage Retreat

The cameras on the ladies. TIRING! Perhaps, we should jusz have ONE official photographer! :P

The guyz as usual trying to act cool!
The ladies dear to my heart...

Weifang, Betty & i went for massage on the last day! SHIOk!

While Weifang was soaked in some herbal steambath, Betty & i relaxed i the bubbling jacuzzi. Followed by aromatic coffee or javanese scrub, balinese massage with our chosen essential oils. Ended off with the super sweet-smelling Milk Wrap! Truly pampering!

I really enjoy the days spent together canoeing, candlelight dinners, ferry rides, marriage seminars and OF COURSE.....the test we had to take at the end of the retreat! haha... Was blessed by the older ladies who shared their stories with us, the younger ladies and also the seminar lessons which truly taught us many blibical concepts about marriage.

i thought it's a good idea to have it every yr for good fellowship and bonding between frens and couples.

7th DatiNg AnNiversary

Can't believe it! It's been 7 yrs since i said "Yes" to be his gf! n i'm now his wife!

Seems like juz yesterday when we first met in NTU Hall 10. And he's kinda the serious, nerdy guy i never expect to date!:P haha.....but somehow God converges our paths. Truly, God works in ways we never expect.

Though we r no longer That Young n he's already a working adult, in my eyes, i still remember him as that first yr guy whom i walked with from hall 10 to 2 and then back to hall 10, under the moonlight, enjoying NTU night breeze, chatting, sharing our lives with each other.It was reallie sweet. We wasn't earning anything then, but life was simple and happy.


Somehow, thru the yrs, our relationship has moved from the young innocent lovey stage to a more mature relationship. Looking back at these 7 yrs, God has been very good to us, bringing us thru our conflicting characters,diff family culture, different church doctrines etc......Without God, perhaps we wouldn't have gone so far and would have just given up along the way.

Anyway, here' some pics at Himawari Jap Place @ Neil Rd. Buffet spread with free flow sashimi & shabu shabu. Sashimi is fresh <>and i love the super good quality shabu beef and sauce! Other dishes include fried Oyster, tempura, handroll etc....It's a super small authentic cosy jap place, recommended for those who like to stay away from the orchard crowd n just hibernate in a quiet place where the whole world can't find you!

DaPNnezzz

sun & moon

After Church Anniversary rehearsal, we went to:
Sun and Moon Restaurant
Wheelock Place

Belated celebration of Lishan's B'day! Treated the couple to dinner!


















But before that.....

While the guys do the tough job to transport the electric piano back to church, we gals were happily shopping at serangoon plaza with the beauty expert, Miss Diana Koh! :P and of course posing at MRT! since we were so free!

haha!

Fun day hanging out with the folks!

Military Efficiency: Singapore style

Got my reservist call up this year, for 2 weeks, starting on Children's day. Anyway I decided to defer it, cos super tired, and if I go away 2 weeks, my work sure pile up like Westin Stamford height. (yar I like to exaggerate)

So come the day, I spent alot of time doing much 'productive' stuff. Let's see:
800am Reached the Polyclinic - 30 mins of waiting
830am Saw the doc
845am Started waiting at the dispensary - 45 mins of waiting
930am Finally got my medicine and drove off to camp
1015am Reached Sungei Gedong camp
1030am Waited for 'more people to arrive' so we could Report Sick together - 30mins of waiting
1100am Reached medical centre
1130am Saw the MO - 30mins of waiting
1140am Started waiting for my deferment to be processed
1230am Had lunch. Still waiting at Manpower office.
200pm Still waiting
400pm Tired of waiting
530pm My medical docket arrives from Medical Centre. I finally leave camp - 6h of waiting

Congrats, Terence, you just spent 8 hours waiting. Why didn't I bring a book to read????
:P