20121212:Isaiah 40 -The morning I saw Venus!

 Isaiah 40:21" Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

Isaiah 40:28: "Do you not know ?Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth"

The date 12/12/12 comes only once in a lifetime. There will never be another date ever as the earth rotates itself to another new day forward.

On this awesome morning, I could never imagine I could see a planet with the human naked eye! It was about 6:15am in the morning when I was captivated by this bright light above the crescent moon. With my I-phone, I managed to capture this and a short video.

I thought I saw a bright "star" - that reminded me of Matt 2 - where Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. The one they seen in the east.  But alas, the one I saw in the east in the morning was not a star - but a planet! I SAW A PLANET instead! The debate in the evening to my discovery later with some friends was whether it was Venus or Jupiter?  It was such an awesome discovery of the universe that at different times of the seasons, we can sight different planets! Yes it is possible!

This is Christmas time. A time of reflection of a year that is closing.  The Mayans predicted that 21/12/2012 is the end of the world. But as I am journaling this today - the date is 22/12/12. The END was not here for the earthlings. Ho Ho Ho! Still another HoLyDay!

So it was Planet Venus I saw. Venus . Love. God.

What is Christmas?
God is love. It was because of this great love for us mankind that Jesus was born for a time like this 2000+ years ago. King Herod was disturbed by the birth of the Christ - the one who will become a ruler and the shepherd of the people Israel. 

When you behold the stars in the sky in the dark night? What do you feel? Do you feel emotionless like the recent Gallup poll which surveyed & found that Singaporeans ranked pretty high up in the emotionless quotient?  Do you feel happy when you see the heavenly hosts above? Well, the Magi in Matt 10:10 saw the star, they were overjoyed. In Luke 2:13 "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests'"

That was the feeling of those people anticipating on the night when Jesus was born. JOYful. Peaceful. Love. So that was the same feeling that I had when I saw Venus and the starry hosts that wee morning.  To have that - only on whom his favour rests.  That means one needs to know Him first. Do you know this King - the Saviour born to us? He is Christ the Lord. This is the true meaning of Christmas.

What are Christmas Gifts?
Matt 2:11 the Magi or wise men bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened the treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh"

Today as we celebrate Christmas, the gifts exchange are merely between men to men. We present to each other with gifts not of pure gold because they are expensive. But we give to each other lots of incense and myrrh from Bodyshop / Crabtree / Marks & Spencer etc  Ha ha. Sometimes the gifts comes with a cap limit of S$xx amount too.

But what did the Magi did in the past? The gifts they brought were for Jesus.  Only Jesus. Not among themselves . Ha Ha Ha. Our gift to Him is worship and adoration for who He is and what He has done. Not about us but all about Him. We seek the Giver , not the gifts. We live in the present and not the past. Is 40:29 He does not grow tired or weary (We do!) His understanding no one can fathom (We are still learning each day!). He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak! What a source of great power and mighty strength!  To whom will we compare God? He can bring princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. This is my God - Jesus Christ - the greatest gift of all.

Reflections
As I reflected on the year 2012, I realised that life is really a journey. I have never encountered flight cancellations. 2012 was my first time experiencing it in June while in Darwin. There is a chinese saying that if there is once, there will be twice or thrice. Indeed. Came Oct, Kota Kinabalu trip was delayed for departure from Senai as the KK Airport had technical glitches.  Then came Nov where my father in law had to undergo his major heart bypass at his 83 years of age leading to another cancellation of a trip to Melbourne to celebrate a cousin's wedding.

So life is like that. We may never know what will happen the next moment. 

We seem to be in a rat race forgetting to slow down to smell the roses and look up to the heavenly hosts above. Jesus came down to us. He had gone back and He will come back again for us. When? No one knows. But for now, here is the video of the Venus and some flights in action and some beautiful lit up night scenes in S'pore - to remind us that there is a Light in the World . We will never be alone. He is with us. 

Go and look up to the skies now and enjoy. What do you see? How do you feel? May be you might see Saturn?  The one with the ring around and not Satan -the one with the horns. Have a blessed Christmas 2012!

http://youtu.be/f5tp-lgPzmI

20121201: Matt 20 :Strike! Parable of the labourers

To strike or not to strike - that is the question?

MOM and MHA have issued a joint press statement today (1 Dec).

It said that Police have completed their investigations into the illegal strike on 26 and 27 Nov 2012 involving SMRT PRC bus drivers. The strike was found to be planned and premeditated. It disrupted Singapore’s public transport service which is an essential service, and “posed a threat to public order”.

The Public Prosecutor has decided to charge a total of 5 PRC bus drivers who instigated or participated in the illegal strike. Four have already been charged in Court.

In addition to the 4, one more will be charged on Mon (3 Dec) under section 9(1) of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (Chapter 67). If convicted, the 5 will face a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both on each charge.

In addition, 29 SMRT bus drivers have been sternly warned by the Police for participating in the strike. The Controller of Work Passes has revoked their work permits, and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority will be repatriating them.
Matthew 20

King James Version (KJV)

20 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

² And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

³ And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

⁴ And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

⁵ Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

⁷ They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

⁸ So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

⁹ And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

¹⁰ But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

¹¹ And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

¹² Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

¹³ But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

¹⁴ Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

¹⁶ So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Reflection
When this strike took place recently in S'pore - it was kind of unprecedented in this little red dot where law and order is highly up held.

The Chinese drivers did a strike to lament on their counter part Malaysians with regard to their penny earnings. It is a challenge for employees vs employers 

It reminded me of the above parable .
It is about the issue of Justice & Fairness. About the grace of our Lord YHWH. Watch this video below and have a good laf. Goto 12:48 if not time : the part that shows "Capuchins rejects unequal pay"! (monkeys)

At the end of the day, we must remember - life can be unjust but the Lord is just. He is the potter and we are just the clay. One can be born in China or S'pore or Malaysia. For some, the vocation is merely a bus driver or a so called "service leader" whereas there are others who are born to be a "service leader" in the nation serving as a PM.  One earns S$12,000 p.a whereas the other S$1,200,000 pa...the 2 zeros are missing? Pay peanuts get monkeys? How do we reconcile the fact that a bus driver in China earns $500,  another driver working in Malaysia earns S$800 whereas a Singaporean bus drive here earns S$1500? All drivers but merely in different parts of the earth?

We may not seem to understand this inequality here on earth. Save your red eye of jealousy! Because, God is still fair and just.  For He said" So the last shall be the first and the first last; for many be called , but few chosen" Rich or poor , He is the maker of them all. Who are we - the clay to question the potter ? How can we murmur? His grace is sufficient for us all.  He has the last call.

Healthy? Able to work? Not retrenched? Retired? Whatever...Give thanks! Godliness with contentment is great gain....ummm 

20121025: Eventful Senai -KK Day !2Tim2:2 Grace Mercy Peace

2 Tim 2:2 " To Timothy, my dearly beloved son; Grace, Mercy and peace, from God the Father and Christ , Jesus our Lord"

Have you ever felt that problems or hitches were mounting and accumulating all around you and you wondered what was happening?

Take heart that God extends a special measure of Grace, Mercy and Peace to us who feel like they are being swamped from all angles of life especially in a day!

My father-in-law was admitted to hospital on 20/10/2012 with acute myocardial infarct ( Heart attack!).  Kind of very untimely as we were about to go for a company cum family trip with 20 others to Kota Kinabalu over the Hari Raya holiday weekend.  

It was kind of a wait and see days following of decision making for us whether we should actually cancel that trip.  In the end, for the interest of being around with him, we decided to forgo that trip.  Nevertheless. we decided to send off the team on 25/10/12 by driving in to Senai airport.  It ended up with the most eventful day of my life.......

Firstly, for years of entering into JB, I had never experienced an "unstamped" passport entry into Malaysia.  That day was my first. Flipping frantically in search of that little round or triangle stamp, I was oblivious to the customs officer who knocked at my window! By the time I handled the passport to request my sister in law to find it for me, the car was already almost at Pasir Gudang! In the end, we had to make a big U-turn back to re-stamp.  Not only that, that day John had to get out of the car to have his licence/ passport re-registered at the customs check!....Needed Grace !

Secondly, Airasia AK5464 flight was supposed to take off at about 9:30 pm...but it never did! Why? Of all the days and mother of days, KK Airport was shut down from 6:30 evening that fateful day till past midnite owing to a technical glitch at the airport! So all the 20 people were stranded together with thousands of others trying to either fly over or out. So the group has to re-scheduled all the holiday trip! What an experience for all of them! I had a good shock when we received the sms at about past ten that evening when we were still at the hospital visiting my FIL.   To me it was kind of an affirmation from Him that we did the right by not going for the vacation - well at least the cancellation of the flight and KK airport woes were something really unexpected!....Needed Peace!

Lastly, a week ago, we got a lovely surprise from the snail mail. A I opened the letter from Traffic Police, I received an extra reduction in my wallet of S$130 with 4 demerit points! Why? For an alleged speeding at 94km/hour along Ayer Rajah towards Tuas on the fateful day of 25th October! (en route to Senai airport).  What baffled me was that in my mind that stretch of expressway was a max 90km/hour and not 80kim/hour? So, I have written in to appeal for exceeding it by "a little bit" in my eyes.....Needed Mercy!

Reflection

In the midst of an unsettled week of last minute changes and arrangements, as well as a heart-thumping weak for the family over my FIL critical condition in the ICU- all is well. As I blogged this on the 23rd day after the hospital admission, he is recuperating fairly well from the by pass done just 3 days back.

The experience of increased measure of Grace, Mercy and Peace was overwhelming! Thanks to my Lord Jesus Christ who is able to provide this in times when needed! He is good and forever faithful.

Story of Mdm Grace and Mr Mercy ...sequel to follow.......:)

20121013- BS challenge : RUNNING

Phi 3:13-14" but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"



It was indeed a fun family run on 13/10/2012.  Amateur photography, video, on site impromptu interviews, spontaneous laughters...witnessed the awesome race from 2 year olds to 50s! Unforgetable!

Story of John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania

John Stephen Akhwari

This is the motivating story of John Stephen Akhwari a Tanzanian Olympian who struggled to complete the 1968 Olympic marathon after he fell during the race cutting and dislocating his knee. As he pushed himself through the pain and 1 hour after the race had already been won, John Stephen Akhwari finished the race. When asked by a reporter why he didn’t quit he replied  ”My country did not send me to 5,000 miles to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”

According to the John Stephen Akhwari Facebook page, the competition won him the title of “A King without crown. “Akhwari competed for ten years after the 1968 Olympics. He finished 5th in the marathon at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. Akhwari has lent his name to the John Stephen Akhwari Athletic Foundation, an organization that supports Tanzanian athletes training for the Olympic Games. He was invited to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney,Australia. He later appeared in Beijing as a goodwill ambassador in preparation for the 2008 Games.

20121006- Cycle - East Coast to Bay Gardens

I never knew that there was such a scenic untapped quiet stretch of cycling track here in this little red dot!

Highly recommended to all who can peddle...
- Start off at East Coast (Burger King) or Big Splash - Bike rental at S$14 for 3 hours
- Ride to Fort Road, cut across the traffic lights into Old Airport Road HDB flats
- Turn out from the HDB into the back of Tanjong Rhu condos - allong the Kallang River
- Herein lies the GREAT KALLANG RIVER SCENIC RIDE....
.....Yes,,it is a with a million dollar view indeed!
- Feel the quietness, watch the awesome view, smell the flowers, stare at the blue sky...
- See the DOMES from afar, the MBS, the BIG Wheel...
- Ride into the Marina Barrage..
-..enter into the Gardens by the Bay..(Unfortunately, bikes are not allowed ...)
- Well, managed to sneek in and out....under the SUPERTREES....
- enjoy the ride back to East coast..
- all in 3 hours
- Return the bike and have a superfeast at Brewerks @ Spore Indoor Stadium with S$18 set meal that comes with BEEEERRRRRR.....
- SUPER BIKE, SUPER FEAST...
Nothing Bromptom but simply glutton!
- This was led by Eleanor - a cycling enthusiate!

Things to do:-
Be physically FIT
Drink lot of 100 Plus ....
All in 3 hours ride..can be tiring for some...
But great great family and friendship fun!

Will be doing a sundown cycle soon - inspired by this one...Think the cool nite and pretty nite lights would be another awesome sight! Wanna come along?
Enjoy this video - dedicated to all who managed to make it on 6th OCT 2012...
May you be inspired to RIDE it out with some folks soon too!
Most fell flat after the day- but it was definitely worth it!

Gardens by the Bay, East Coast Park to be linked
By Dylan Loh | Posted: 10 October 2012 1826 hrs

	Click to enlarge Photos 1 of 1 Gardens By The Bay (Photo: Hester Tan, channelnewsasia.com)

		inShare	19

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Gardens by the Bay will be joined to East Coast Park by a park connector, with construction works to link the two expected to start in late-2013 and finish in end-2014.

This will create the country's longest continuous stretch of coastal parkland - from the island's north-east to south-central Singapore.

The National Parks Board is now studying details of bringing the two major green spaces closer.

The Eastern Coastal Loop of park connectors currently lets residents in Simei, Bedok, Tampines and Pasir Ris, among other estates, access East Coast Park on bicycle or on foot. When the park is joined to Gardens by the Bay's East section, they can cycle, stroll, or jog to the attraction without using public roads.

Starting from Changi Beach Park, they can cycle through the Coastal Park Connector to East Coast Park, and head to the Bay East Garden of Gardens by the Bay via the new link.

This route measures over 25 km and at more than half the island's length, makes it the country's longest sweep of park space along the coast.

From the Bay East Garden, people can already access the Bay South Garden, where the two cooled conservatories and Supertrees are, by crossing the Marina Barrage at the mouth of the Marina Reservoir.

People can also head to the future Sports Hub from Bay East, by using the Tanjong Rhu Promenade Park Connector, and crossing the Tanjong Rhu suspension bridge.

Construction on the Marina Coastal Expressway is currently being carried out and are set to be completed by end-2013. After that, works to link Gardens by the Bay and East Coast Park will start.

Associate Professor Tan Puay Yok of the Architecture Department at the School of Design and Environment with the National University of Singapore, said: "The terrain itself is not very challenging, I think it's a fairly easy site to work with. And the fact that Singapore has already a fairly large, extensive network of park connectors, means that the design intention, design considerations could be followed for this site."

Currently, cyclists who wish to access Gardens by the Bay from East Coast Park have to exit the park from near the western end of the park along East Coast Park Service Road, and head onto public roads. This will not be necessary anymore when the two green spaces are finally linked.

19-year-old polytechnic student Chang Teck, who is an avid cyclist, is happy with the new link.

He said: "It will be more safe for cyclists like me. Because we don't have to go on the roads and look out for cars...and follow the traffic rules. [With the] straight path to the Gardens by the Bay, we can have a longer route, we can have more recreational activities for cyclists, we can cycle a longer path."

Joining both green spaces also opens up possible new routes for the many organised runs taking place yearly around downtown Singapore.

The National Parks Board's long-term goal is to create a Singapore-wide park connector network, linking up the whole of the island.

-CNA/ac

20120909-Judges- Time of Apostasy/ A different Micah

Judges 17:1" And there was a man of Mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah"
Judges 17: 7" A young Levite from Bethlehem...came to Micah's house.."
Judges 18:1 "..In those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel"
Judges 19:1" ..there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of Mount Ephraim...concubine.." {Dan & Benjamin fight}

A Time of Apostasy Indeed
This Micah in Judges is not the minor prophet Micah.
Sadly, this Micah was a thief who stole from his mother, kind of repented and returned his money back to his mother. Yet his mother blessed him and used the money to make graven molten image! And so Micah had a house of gods, he made himself an ephod and teraphim and consecrated one of his sons who became his priest. Well, Micah did what which was right in his own eyes as in those days there was no king in Israel. Not only that in 17:7, he even 'bought' himself a Levite young priest and let him stay in his house. He was only deceiving himself when he said in v13" Now I know that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest"

How does Dan come into the picture?
The Danites had not got their inheritance then.  They spied the land and came into this Levite staying with Micah. They took Micah's stuff - graven idols, ephods and made the Levite an offer! 18:19" Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us , and be to us a father and a priest; is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?"

Too tempting for the Levite. The offer was bigger and better! So he left with the Danites! The whole contingent fame to Laish and they built it down and renamed it Dan. Sinned all the way.  It is hence no wonder that in Rev 7, this tribe of Dan was not even mentioned among the 12 tribes! What a sorry state! Their name was left out in Rev7! 

Judges ended off with quite a gruesome story of rape and murder in chapter 19, leading to a fight between the 2 tribes Dan and Benjamin.

Such is the whole story of Judges - Sinned, Sold, Supplicate, Saved. A span of over 300 years of various judges raised to grant the land some peace.  But the people never learn.
Chapters 17 onwards showed a time of apostacy - a falling away of beliefs - both at personal level as well as corporate & national level.

Reflections
Does this sound familiar in our present times?
Do we have such people or pastors today like Micah of Ephraim? Or like the Levite who sold himself out to lead a bigger group  Or a type of tribe like Dan who led the whole squad in delusion?
The idolatory of building molten images is no different than today's idolatory of materialism and prosperity coveted by many. 
What is the standard of man versus God's standards? What is right and what is wrong? How do measure against the right plumbline?

Apostasy.  Leaving the fundamental faith. We are indeed destined to reign. But who are we reigning with? Let's pray that it would never be like Mammon Micah of Ephraim but another Micah - the one whose name means "Who is like Yawheh" or be the deluded Levite or in another dangerous situation - being in the so called tribe in Dan, embracing all they were doing, seemingly right religiously, but totally missing the whole point.

‘Prosperity is right. Amen’

 September 4th, 2012 |  Author: Online Press

(4 Sep) – At “Miracle-Seed Sunday” inSingapore’s New Creation Church last month, the pastor’s sermon was preceded by PowerPoint and video presentations, and donations were overseen by Deloitte & Touche LLP auditors.

Centuries after Catholics established missions in Asia, Singaporeans are flocking to a new species of churches making appeals more in common with “Material Girl” pop-singer Madonna than the Jesuits. Wearing a white leather jacket and jeans, Senior Pastor Joseph Prince asked God to reward a crowd of about 1,200 with houses, cars, jobs, pay raises and holidays if they contributed to New Creation’s multimillion-dollar funding drive.

Prince’s 24,000-strong flock belongs to a flourishing breed of churches from Houston to Sydney winning followers with a focus on personal well-being. As the rise of so-called mega churches helps make Christians the fastest-growing religious group in majority-Buddhist Singapore, their fundraising prowess is also making its mark, allowing groups including New Creation and City Harvest Church to invest in some of the island’s biggest commercial properties.

“Mega churches have been able to articulate Christianity in a very contemporary manner,” said Terence Chong, a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies who has researched such groups. “Being able to adopt the language of pop culture, mass consumption — we think this appeals to the new middle class, people who are aspiring middle class.”

In a city state of 5.2 million people occupying a quarter of the area of Rhode Island, the mega churches stand out with their gatherings of thousands, near-celebrity leaders and outreach methods that range from magic shows and concerts to musical worship backed by electric guitars.

At the New Creation service, PowerPoint slides showed attendees how to write checks to the church, while armed security guards watched the cash. Worship and Holy Communion were followed by a video about a woman who donated on Miracle Seed Sundays even when her husband’s cancer treatments saddled the couple with debt. Images of a Volkswagen and a condominium showed the rewards that came to them for giving.

“As they come forth Lord to sow, release upon them Father the power to get, to create, to receive wealth in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,” Prince said in the rented Rock Auditorium at the Suntec City Mall. “Prosperity is right. Amen. We prosper to prosper others. We prosper to prosper God’s kingdom, so come believing.”

The special session sought to raise funds for the church’s half of a S$976 million ($783 million) retail and entertainment complex, which includes a 5,000-seat auditorium. The venue, which will double as New Creation’s meeting place, is set to open in November with concerts by musician and producer David Foster and friends including Chaka Khan and Babyface, according to a statement from the theater.

Like the grandfather's clock above, here is the tick tock tick tock "awakening"...

20120809: Gen41:33 - 4 & 1+3+3! A Tale of 2 countries

Gen 41:33Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man DISCRETE AND WISE, and set him over the land of Egypt"

Joseph was THE discrete or discerning and wise man the pharaoh picked to watch over the land of Egypt. It was then 7 years of plentiful where Joseph stored up in his advice to pharaoh to prepare for the 7 coming famine years.

As our nation celebrates her 47th year, indeed we need a 4-7 man like Joseph in Gen 41:33 to steer us into the next lap.  The medals above are not the London Olympic Gold, Silver or Bronze medal. Below is a contrast of 2 countries, Singapore vs Grenada. I have never heard of this country until someone sent me this photo below. It is a small country off the Carribean (NE of Venezuela) . Predominantly Christian in population. And yes, God has blessed this little place which came into independence 9 years after our little red dot as it is also known as an island of spice - major exporter in nutmeg and mace.  Interesting , her motto is "Ever conscious of God we aspire, Build and advance as One People"

We were given these medals at the Day Of His Power, an annual praise and prayer meeting held on the eve of our national day.  The athletes who compete in the Olympics do it for mainly one reason - I suppose - to bring pride to the country whom he or she represents.  S'pore has so far not won any gold. But this year 2012, this little country of Genada proved that they can come up with a man like  Kirani James who won the first Olympic gold medal in the men's 400 m dash. And the reward? 
A PUBLIC HOLIDAY!!! For all the 110,000 citizens! No million or hundred of thousands payout in cash to the competitor. Had the Malaysian badminton player won, then all Malaysians were supposed to be treated to a free ice-cream by one ice-cream company.

Reflections
What does national day mean to you?
In the past, I am proud to carry my red passport.  It is a passport that many from other countries often see red as many visas are waived because we are citizens of a little red dot.

Lately, some embarrassment and shame has crept in.
We are an unique nation. We Pay And Pay to get the cream of every crop - that comes from the top ministers and civil service and into the sports arena.  The carrot is always dangling & seducing the very young here.  No one knows the heart of the man or woman - the work or sports competition - is it for the money or the fame or glory?

Unlike Grenada which is mainly Christian, our little red dot is only perhaps 18% christian as we lived in a very multiracial country.  Our electorate for voting in the recent Presidential election was only slightly past 2mio. But we have right now about 5mio people here on our 710 sq km.  Imagine Grenade with only 110,000 people on their island half the size of our little red dot!  Integration - the talk of the town here to.  Embracing other nationals.  Can we be like Grenada - able to share the same motto " Ever conscious of God we aspire, Build and advance as One People"? We are very multiracial.  The God whom the people worship differs. What is nation? My earlier blog touched on it. Can we aspire? Can we build and advance? Yes. But as ONE people? Er...

I have seen some of the photos of Grenada. The island looks simple and rustic. Perhaps that was what Sir Raffles saw and loved when he stepped unto this red dot. But the country has changed over the years.  I have been to the Gardens by the Bay. But there is lots of artificial stuff in there.  I dunno how to express. Just felt it. Preferred the botanic gardens ten times over.  I think we are trying too hard.  Time to sit back and just relax on the sandy beach of the east or west coast to gaze at the stars - the natural blinking lights above the dark night. These little twinkling lights - there are free.... so here is a national day song "Free" (by Corrine May)  to all ...Blessed 47th birthday S'pore.  Pray that we will have 4-7 Joseph - discrete and wise to steer this little red dot in right direction in the days ahead.  Break the chains over our nation.  Set us free... ....a reminder of the wild morning glories I used to see on the fences in my kampong days! Have you seen a morning glory around lately in your neighbourhood?