Tuesday's lovelies ~ 3 pictures

To her, my house is a wonderland ~

A priceless question she asked me today: "If you are married, why don't you have a baby?"

Post-work sunset ~ always my favourite time of the day ~ especially where the colours blend and silhouettes mesmerise. Owl-light.

View from the hubby's workplace after office hours (pic by Ben)

Tuesday

Fellowship dinner with my fellow seminarians (young couples ~ pastors and their wives ~ we have been meeting up regularly for a few months now) was held in our humble abode this evening. It was a potbless - so there were no elaborate preparations necessary, save cleaning up the entire house... which I did when I hit a major writer's block today.

Pastor Clement and Julia (his wife) graced our fellowship today. They shared with us (from their experiences) the issues and struggles that married couples in the ministry commonly face. What encouragement! I am really inspired by Julia to be a wife after God's own heart ~ one who submits to her husband out of reverence for Christ ~ the Proverbs 31 woman.

New routines

From tomorrow onwards, hubby's daily routine will drastically change. (And hence mine as well.)

To get from our new place to his work place, he would have to drive for one hour. To beat the morning traffic congestions (and so that he can get off work earlier), he would have to wake up at 6am everyday. This means an earlier bedtime for him and consequently, for myself.

I am not the kind of person who can go to sleep early (I'm more of the night owl who gets inspired at night and who struggles to fall asleep); neither am I one who wakes up easily at wee hours in the morning, unless I urgently have to pee (Hey, wee rhymes with pee!) or if I need to attend morning classes - BUT for the sake of keeping our marriage strong, I would have to make my sacrifices just as the hubby has made his, moving us to this part of the island. At least, I hope that I will be able to sleep a little earlier. Since marriage is very important to God, I trust Him that the inspiration (for work and etc) will come in the sunshiny mornings as it did in the still silence of the nights. After all, my heart and flesh may fail - but God is my strength and my portion forever... Night and day.

Picture source

In the midst of a very busy period, we moved into our new house 4 days ago. Since then, it has been a lot of cleaning, washing, unpacking... you name it. We've had our fun! Our CG members came over to pray and bless our house on Saturday. However, I find myself longing for that order - one which keeps me focused and my wheels rolling forward - to be restored. I desperately yearn for time to read, talk to God, write in my journal and focus on Him sans all distractions. Even though we've done 80% of the unpacking, a new momentum with regards to my discipline has yet to be gained. A new routine affords a sort of "fresh start" for me - indeed, I am thanking God for it. Let me not moan and groan about sleeping earlier - and getting up super early - but be grateful for this opportunity to grow and STRETCH.

Picture source

Here's to breathing in loads of fresh sea-air in the mornings!

It's going to be a gloriously busy week for me. Two services to prepare for (church anniversary is this Sunday), music rehearsals, meet-ups with precious people, work, assignments, more unpacking for the house (and cleaning) and a letter to write in Korean to my Korean mentor.

What about you?

Grace updates...

A busy but happy week on the whole.

Meet-up with Rachel

Meet-up with Ai Hua

Preparing for a flurry of weekend ministry work (TMC-based and non-TMC-based), music practice, work, meeting up with people, selecting deco pieces for our new house (more like trying my hardest to buy nice things with our limited budget), selecting cloth for our curtains, doing my language studies, planning for a dance choreography, etc, etc.

With regards to dancing and choreography - I've not done both for a long time (since 2005), so I'm a little rusty. However, I'm planning to collaborate with one or two more people - so that I won't have to do too much choreography myself and we can combine our strengths. Spoke to one of them today - and we got one another very excited. The dance is a performance, yes... but there is a much deeper message within its choreography. It will be great fun. 

With regards to our new place - the renovation works are 75% completed. We plan to get the house cleaned up over the weekend and next week, so that we can install the window grills, built-in cupboards and curtain rails. Can't wait to move and settle down in our new place after all the delays and renovation challenges (although it's been really awesome staying with my parents-in-law - they, especially the MIL - pamper me so much that I am wondering if I still know how to wash my knickers! >_< LOL).

Spending time in 1 John this week. I'm reading the Korean Bible and am loving it so far; can anyone recommend me a version with less ancient/uncommon terms or a more contemporary language without too much paraphrasing? :P I think my Korean version must be an equivalent to the KJV translation of the English Bible.

A long blogpost after another Earthquake

For the second time this year, I've felt my floors tremble. It only lasted less than a minute, so nobody dashed out of the building I was in.

As for me, my heart beat a little faster than usual - and I prayed. But I didn't bother getting out of my chair. I am now wondering where the earthquake hit.

Apart from the earthquake and the bad road congestion I encountered this morning (while driving to a breakfast meeting) it is a pretty beautiful Saturday. The rains came and cleared away some of the haze that have been pervading our noses (and lungs) for the past weeks. While I feel a little lonely now that my hubby's away from Penang for the weekend, attending a CG leaders' seminar in Ipoh, I am enjoying my Saturday so far. Had breakfast with one of the girls I have been discipling and a good heart-to-heart talk on discovering "the meaning of life" and discerning God's will. After that, I went for a hot body-wrap therapy thingy (ah, so relaxing) and lunch. Now, I'm having coffee all on my own - whilst making good use of the Wifi service, since the wireless internet back at my PIL's place seems to be kaput.

We've had a pretty busy and hectic week, preparing to move out of first nest. On Thursday, the bigger pieces of furniture were moved into our new place - into the center of our living room, so that the renovation and painting work can go on despite the silent "intruders". I felt bad leaving Thoven there on his own (Thoven is my portable grand) - but I had no choice. Since there was so much stuff left behind in our old place, my parents-in-law had to come and help us move the rest later. What an exhausting day Thursday was! We drove to Batu Feringghi from Greenlane (and back) 3 times in total.

Ben and I are now temporarily taking refuge in his parents' clean and comfortable abode. (Mother-in-law is 100 times a better housewife than I am, hehe!) I realize that I have not stayed over for more than a year now - since I got married. I'm feeling very, very far from being your proverbial "good daughter-in-law". Not only did I not help my MIL to clean her house - now she's going to help me clean up my old place before the new owners move in next week. *Tsk tsk* On top of that, she keeps telling me to enjoy my stay. "Do anything you want... you want to go out with your friends, then go out la..."

Although it's been more than 4 years since this particular "aunty" (as I used to call her when Ben and I were in courtship) began treating me as her own daughter, it still feels rather odd and surreal. She fusses over me as if I were a princess and never fails to make me feel special, even though I sometimes feel guilty for enjoying the showers of love. I still feel anxious whenever I see her because I am not used to being pampered like that. I don't feel like I deserve to be treated that way (because I have not done anything to earn it) - and I don't know how to repay her (as well as my FIL) for her kindness. A friend used to remark that I should be happy and blessed - but it is strangely not as easy as it all seems. You know what I mean?

Perhaps, this is how God is enabling me to understand grace - and His love. A study of Nahum 1 yesterday uncovered an aspect of God's grace that I have not thought much about. While pondering on 1:2, "...and He reserveth wrath for His enemies..." I was reminded that God saved us from His own wrath! And if wrath is not for us anymore, but God's enemies... we are no longer His enemies; and if not enemies, then we must have been accepted as His friends, whom He is for and whose side He is on. Such grace is mind-blowing, isn't it? What have we done to earn such favour? Nothing. And what does God require from us in return? Trust. (Having said that, I need to learn to trust my parents-in-law. I am insecure that way, haha.)

A verse further on goes as such: "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him." (Nahum 1:7) Those who trust God are known by God in the most intimate way. Contrast this with "...I never knew you; depart from Me, you evildoers..." (cf. Matthew 7:21-23) In other words, "evildoers" must mean those who never trusted God - since God only knows those who trust Him. Even though these "evildoers" did much for God's Kingdom, they probably never relied on God as their source of life. They probably thought that their works would earn them escape from God's wrath - but didn't they know that the way of escape had been provided by God Himself? Or perhaps they had no confidence in that escape God had provided. Instead, they were pretty confident in their many works. Observe their attempt to convince Jesus ~ "Lord, Lord...have we not....?"

And so, they did not trust God - whether for their salvation or for their earthly lives. Consequently, God never knew them. Let us not be one of these "evildoers".

Talk about strong language!

Stressed and kicking...

I have been stressed all of last week, worrying about mostly 2 things:

1. Moving house - because I am too lazy to think of the up-coming Thursday. There seems to be 101 things I have not done (moving related and non-related). I don't get how Ben can be so calm about things. Happily packs too. *Salute* Hubby tells me that I am worrying too much. Perhaps, perhaps. I am even more worried about moving house than leading worship at church this coming Sunday. How can this be? >.<

2. Theological sharing at CG last Saturday - I am pretty much a Moses when God assigns me big, scary things like that. (Maybe it isn't so big and scary - but I am easily intimidated... ) Before CG began, I took a nap - and prayed, "If You will... let me only wake up after CG is over..." Obviously, God did not answer my prayer. I woke up 15 minutes before CG and couldn't go back to sleep! Hubby prayed for me before our CG members arrived. Anyway, theological sharing/teaching went well by God's grace. I thought I would confuse my CG members - but apparently they were quite impacted by the teaching.

This stress is making me crave chocolate. I just can't get enough of it. How, how, how??? Argh.

Packing to move

Packing for our big move to Batu Feringghi unearthed many possessions that have been possibly crying out for attention since the day they got stuffed into (or rather, buried in) our tiny store room.

The 650 sq.ft flat which Ben and I have made our first nest (as man and wife) actually housed Ben's entire family before they moved to Sg. Ara. When I graduated from Penang Medical College and began working in the church, I rented this flat from the Wongs - and so, the flat did not get sold. Some of the Wongs' possessions stayed behind with me and have therefore remained in the store-room until this very day. Eventually, Ben and I renovated this old flat for marriage - and then Ben moved back in with me after we got married... and we've been accumulating more stuff in the nooks and crannies of our flat ever since.

So as you can imagine, there are indeed many things in our tiny flat. Packing to move out completely (now that our flat has been sold) is a bewildering mission. Even after getting rid of a whole lot of things, there are still much to be gotten rid of - at least for me. Ben Wong (who is much more of a hoarder than I am) will probably defend his keeps as if they were his babies. Actually, he would have also defended and rescued my stuff that I was throwing/sending away if I hadn't done it while he was at work. I can so imagine him saying, "Aiyoo... all these things you are getting rid of - you will surely find some use for them someday!"

Honestly, I'm glad that Ben is one of those people who are determined to see the potential in everything and almost everybody (if not all). He is also a BIG fan of recycling and keeping the environment green. However, these wonderful traits of his sometimes pose much resistance to me when I'm trying to spring-clean the house. We usually try our best to accommodate one another's "weirdness", of course.

Today, he was still trying to find out what I threw away yesterday (after he saw me carry two big black plastic bags down to dump). *Faints* Haha. I ain't telling you nothing!

Anyway, it has been quite interesting, this packing business.

Among the long-forgotten possessions that Ben discovered:  those cartoon tapes he used to watch as a kid, comics, magazines, some ancient-looking board games, funky photos and books which you'd normally find at Oxfam UK. I'd be teaching our kids out of those books someday, I reckon.

As for me, I stumbled upon my PMC 2008 yearbook. Reading it made me chuckle to myself. It's been 4 eventful years since we graduated. How funny and young we all were!

 

Workplace

My husband looked at my work area today (while mopping the floors of our home) and wondered aloud, "Why is your table so messy?"

Hee hee. The answer to his question: I don't know. He wasn't the first person to ask me that question too.

When I work, I have this weird habit of unconsciously piling references, books, papers and etc around my main arm-space (i.e. in front of the laptop keyboard). Before you know it, many other unessential things are caught in the web (or nest) - from wires to abandoned tissue paper (from crying out in frustration or wiping my mouth during snack-times). The more stressed I am, the more bombastic the mess. The worst was when I was preparing for my med & surg finals... Because my desk eventually became TOO messy, I began working on my bed - and soon, my bed was the center of a universe of books and papers. I had barely any room to walk about in my room. Imagine how hard I worked to move out of Sri York.

BUT... that of course is the past. I don't get to be quite as bad now, because my hubby will give me that tortured look, poor dude - and therefore, I've resolved to be a tidier person! Still working on it, definitely.
I promise to work harder when we move into our new home.

Wednesday ~ 30.5.2012

Such an awesome day off, me thinks!

Brunch with Rachel... followed by a minute-decision leisurely stroll around Gurney Plaza. I was actually looking for a nice purple dress for purchase - alas, I did not fall in love with any of the purple dresses hanging from the racks at Gurney Plaza. Life's like this ~ when you desperately need to find something, it seems to take delight in staying well-hidden until you've stopped looking for it. Now, I am starting to wish that the colour theme of that event which I am supposed to attend is anything but purple.

B-b-but... purple's such a pretty colour. Why can't they design nicer dresses in purple? Why can't nice purple dresses be less costly? Or maybe, my tastes are too weird.

In the afternoon, I worked a bit on my piano, had a snack, did some toning exercises for the sake of my flabby arms... and then went jogging with the hubby after he was done with work. Jogged for half-an-hour. Not bad, considering that I haven't been running for aeons. Returned home, had our takeaway Subway sandwiches, watched "Showdown 2012"... and I ended up ironing a huge basket of clothes. Creased they were, and creaseless they now are.

While exhausted, I am feeling so victorious now!

Anyway, we just got to know that our new tenant will be moving into our current place in 10 days time. It's really time to start packing. We will be staying with my lovely in-laws till the renovations at our new place have been completed.

Weekend over

On Friday, I accompanied a dear friend, Ai Hua, for her bridal fitting at Touch Collections.

Pardon the unlady-like way I was sitting... the sofa was way too comfortable...

Ruth came with her paraphernalia for working on MBTS assignments. LOL. *Salute*

While Ai Hua was trying on her umpteenth dress...

So glad that Ai Hua found her favourite dresses. *Phew* 마침내!

Ben and I received the keys to our new apartment on Friday too ~ and so we eagerly and very excitedly drove all the way there to take a look. Realized from the Sales and Purchase forms that our house was bigger than we thought - instead of 860 sqft, it is 925 sqft! There is no electricity supply (as well as water) yet, so we watched the sun set over the horizon and went home after darkness fell. Ben engaged the contractor the very next afternoon (while I was teaching and attending worship practice) and chose the tiles for the flooring. Hoping that things will proceed quickly, because somebody else is waiting to move into our current home! God, we thank You for providing us this house. It is exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever ask for or imagine. We pray that it will be a blessing to others who visit or stay with us. A place of refreshment, love, worship and inspiration. May You be glorified.

There is more to the seaview than this picture portrays. This was taken on our balcony. The seaview from our bedroom windows is much better.

My very supportive parents-in-law and brother-in-law (as well as Ben's two closest aunts) came with us to our new place on Sunday (after church) to help us figure out what can be done with the house. It was fun! We passed the swimming pool on our way up to the apartment, and an elderly gentleman was wading chest-high in the water, baking in the sun. I couldn't help noticing how golden-brown his skin was. An hour later, he could still be seen baking in the sun. A few other elderly gentlemen (of all races) were now sitting around the pool, seemingly enjoying the terrible heat that I loathe, tanned in that same shade of golden-brown! I amused myself by thinking that perhaps one day (when I've moved to our new place), I'll learn to enjoy that "terrible heat" and turn from pale to golden-brown myself. Possible? :P

Discipleship session with the two girls on Saturday morning was great. We've come to a point, after many weeks (and months) behind us, whereby we trust each other more - thank God for that. The most heartwarming part of working with the girls is their teachability... their willingness to learn and be corrected. They are also beginning to ask more questions, ask for prayer and engage in corporate prayer. It has been a fun, fulfilling and beautiful experience for me... being involved in God's sovereign work in these girls' lives. Having a small part to play, and yet most of the time, it's sitting back, keeping my hands off,and watching God stretch and grow them in His own time, a process that cannot be interfered in or sped up. What a privilege for me - and yet all of us, Christians, are called to make disciples (Matt 28:18-20). This is really the first time I've discipled new believers at TMCP. A unique experience indeed, considering the previous churches I've attended weren't Methodist churches and the lovelies I've discipled weren't Methodist. Hehe. Beautiful nevertheless, coz ultimately it's the same Kingdom we are building... that of Jesus Christ. All glory be unto Him.

Led worship again on Sunday. Music rehearsal on Saturday was really humbling and tiring (because some of us were blur and exhausted from a busy week ~ including yours truly), but I was glad and inspired by how committed our team was. There was absolutely no complaining aloud, even though I must have whined a bit in my heart, I confess. (God, forgive me!) Musicians worked hard to gel with one another as well as to play their various roles in the ensemble. Nevertheless, it was really difficult this round, beats me. The songs were mostly familiar songs too. At the end of the rehearsal, we still struggled with certain parts. I went home very humbled and tired. I believe the rest did as well. Praise God that whatever the outcome on Sunday, God was still worshiped extravagantly and unreservedly by many... and that was the sweetest reward ever - God turning our inadequacies into something beautiful with His adequacies. Not only something beautiful, but something that truly blessed His heart... that caused all to see and savor His glory. Thanks to all who prayed and encouraged us. *Appreciative*

And so, today is Monday. Gonna spend it doing my theology assignments, revising my 한국어, working on my music... and (hopefully) ironing some clothes.