20161205-The Star of Bethlehem

The 'Star of Bethlehem' was NOT a star: Researcher claims light in the sky was actually a unique planetary alignment ? Huh????????(Latest report in Nov 2016)
A new study of historical, astronomical, and biblical records suggests the event in 6 BC was actually a rare planetary alignment, during which the sun, Jupiter, the moon, and Saturn all lay in Aries.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3995250/The-Star-Bethlehem-NOT-star-Researcher-claims-light-sky-actually-unique-planetary-alignment.html?ito=email_share_article-top

Interesting after thoughts:-

• The Matt 2 record of the Star of Bethlehem which had been associated with the visit of the magi from the east - could the bible be wrong to have translated as "the star" all these years?http://www.biblestudy.org/bible-study-by-topic/astronomy-in-the-bible.html
• Thus far, don't think we can find the word "planet' in the bible? http://jesusalive.cc/ques160.htm

My little mind started to wonder...about taking the bible literally vs seriously. Stars vs planets.
Perhaps it was because I read the recent quote by Peter Thiel in his after about Trump.

I think one thing that should be distinguished here is that the media is always taking Trump literally. It never takes him seriously, but it always takes him literally. ... I think a lot of voters who vote for Trump take Trump seriously but not literally, so when they hear things like the Muslim comment or the wall comment, their question is not, 'Are you going to build a wall like the Great Wall of China?' or, you know, 'How exactly are you going to enforce these tests?' What they hear is we're going to have a saner, more sensible immigration policy."QUOTE PETER THIEL

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/09/peter-thiel-perfectly-summed-up-donald-trump-in-one-paragraph.html" 

https://bible.org/article/taking-bible-literallyhttp://webcontent.harpercollins.com/text/excerpts/pdf/0060011270.pd

Reflections:

I remember back in 2012, I realised I could see Venus - a planet with my naked eye! When I that it was a big star back then. But it was not flickering - so I was told it was a planet! Well, Jesus Himself was declared as a bright morning Star anyway too.
And in 2016 Sep this year, I saw Saturn through a rather powerful telescope in Perth! So exciting!

So could it be true that what the magi saw 2000 years back was not a star but really the alignment of Jupiter (King) and Venus indeed??

I don't know if I should take the bible literally that it was a STAR as started...
Nevertheless, what I do know is that the bright light led the wise men to the Son of God who was born in great humility in a stable, manger under the Star.

SMS-  This short message of the Stable, Manger+ Star - is simply a message of His great love for all mankind this Christmas season.  In a world of turmoil, in politics where kings in power can be gone in a second and the onslaught of satan over dimming this light to the lost with all kinds of media and brain washing of a different worldly kind, may we received this SMS (BRIGHT LIGHT) with an open heart to receive the King of Kings of this earth.

He is the creator of all - stars and planets and many of the astronomical stuff in the sky.

It is another Christmas season that signifies the ending of 2016.

Great food for thots. Amen!

20121212:Isaiah 40 -The morning I saw Venus!

20161113-Rejoice with me; for I have found my.....Luke15

Luke 15:6 & 9 "Rejoice with me; for I have found ...which was lost"

Have you ever lost anything ? Panicked? Freaked out ? And then rejoicing when it was found?

Guess it happened to me last sunday 13/11/2016. The day where we wanted to be home early as my classmate was getting baptised that sunday morning. And we couldn't be late as we had to pick up 3 more people on route to church.  Unusually, my father in law had overslept that morning and so we decided to go to the market without him.

That was the beginning of woes!

1. "Lost" our newspaper! (Never happened to us before when we place our papers at the hawker centre table while we get our food!)
2. "Lost" - the bunch of keys (John thot it was lost but I had forgotten to inform him as he was away from the table chatting with an old man and I was happily chatting with the another old man who was partially blind and selling tissue papers. I left the table to do the marketing after informing John)
3. "Lost" my mobile phone! (it was at the beef noodle store that I realised that my mobile was not with me when I wanted to contact John! Frantic,I threw my shopping bags to the store lady without taking my change due to the rush and shock!) 

But thanked God!

Met John and told him keys were with me.  And he told me he found the papers with the cleaning lady!  When we were at the car, we couldn't find the phone! At first ring, there was no sound coming from the car:(....my heart was so down.  In my head, I was already thinking how to call the telco to cancel the sim card....however, somehow, we decided to use John's phone to try a second attempt.  Wow! This time, that ring from the base of the seat brought great rejoicing! Oh my! 

Reflections

Reading the parable of the Lost sheep, coin and son in Luke 15:-

Now I truly understood what it means to "REJOICE" !

If things weren't LOST, we won't appreciate what it means to FIND or FOUND

If things weren't LOST, we won't know what is sadness and what is joy.

And perhaps, I think I might have passed His test.  Not to fret about the lost phone.

But yes, thousands of things went through this little head of mine : What to do to report  LOST PHONE? The lost of tremendous phone data of contacts?...the list went on for that few seconds at the car.  Few seconds seemed minutes long to me.

But thank God! It was only for a few moments.  What made us try a second time when we could have walked away saddened was kind of spirit led to "try again".  And it was such a cry of relief to hear that ringing tone!

And guess what? When we arrived home, we found my dad in law sulking. For we left him behind behiund to do the marketing ourselves this fateful week! Our thoughts of allowing him to sleep a longer time was not appreciated.  For that, we ran off asap cos we had to catch the baptism!

Perhaps the events that sunday morning was really from the devil! Blame blame!

Afterall, who would have thot that the papers would disappear , keys and phone? LOL.  And having worked up late till 9:30am , my dad in law still insisted on going to the wet market! Oh my.  So he did - but not driven by us though as we were off to church!

Whatever, so glad to REJOICE after all that was thot to be "LOST"...an adventure

And , yes, I am glad I was once LOST but now am FOUND by Him who loves me so much!

20161101 - Watch and Pray ?

Matt 24, Mark 13 & Luke 21 - the repeated exhortations to Watch & Pray!

In my previous blog of the blackout and the dark clouds and the recall of the parable of the virgins and the scramble for the candles and torchlights on that fateful memorable 25/10/2016 - In one line " We were just not prepared"

Not prepared for what? 
A electrical failure that caused the darkness in the house? A electrical fault to our MRT lines that made many late for work? A sudden hack of a virus that caused the phone lines to be down like Starhub? 

And for the Americans (yes it is Trumping now) - guess many were not prepared for the sudden turn of events in this weird Presidential Election which would definitely remain in the hearts of many and generations to come! HU!MA! Hu!Ma! HU!MA!

The heat of the elections is just a few days away.

Big Change Coming..Are you ready for this change?

Can you hear the trumpet rumbling sounds?

Time to wake up? Yeah Watch and Pray!

Reflections

Perhaps the recent blackout was not coincidental.

From the darkness came the light - awake my soul, awake my soul

Many people from around the world are hearing the tuning of the trumpets - the rumble.

Perhaps....

to those whose ears can hear and eyes to perceive....

It it TIME to wake up from slumber

He is coming sooner that we would have thought!

Mark 13:32 -37 " But of the day and that hour knows no man, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray, for you know not the time is.  For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.  Watch you therefore; for you know not when the master of the house comes, at even or at midnight or at the cockcrowing or in the morning. Lest coming he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you you I say unto all. Watch"

20161026 - Dine in Dark & Battery in Bulb

Emergency Purchase of this S$6.90 LED Light Bulb and the 4AAAs Battery $1.30 on 25/10/16!!!

Ominous dark clouds hovered over little red dot at about 6:45pm on 25/10/16!

So....it was "romantic" dining in the dark for almost 2 hours from 7pm....

A memorable & unforgettable 25/10/16 night of sudden downpour and blackout that left us scrambling to find the candles and torchlights!

Reflections

The parable of the 10 virgins came to my mind as we went out to purchase more lights and candles and batteries about an hour after the total darkness in the house.

For the first time for many of us, we experienced our candlelight dinner with our spouses! Something that we here in little red dot hardly experienced nowadays after boasting of the First World city status. Nevertheless, the struck of nature's lightning and the old electric circuit breaker couldn't hold any longer.  

Are we Prepared?
Of course not! By normal human standard, we were definitely not prepared for such a thing!

And my brother in law who went out to buy the lights/candles could not find them after hopping from one petrol kiosk to another! LOL.

We were smarter.  We went to the heartland's DIY store in Holland V! (And we found out that one store sold the similar light for S$2 more for the same LED light! and $0.10 more for the same 4 pack AAA Eveready Battery :(....and both were just a stone throw away....)

Are we Ready?
Just like the 5 wise virgins who had oil together with the lamps, the LED lights would not work without the 4 AAA batteries.  We bought extra packs as the lifespan of the battery was limited.

Perhaps the brand of this battery "EVEREADY" is so befitting to the question of "Are we Ready"?
Guess we ought to live in this season (onimous dark clouds over many nations) of time to be "Eveready' all the time.

This outer shell of our body is merely a shell.  We need to be filled with the oil - the Holy Spirit to be well alive and prepared to face the Bride anytime, anywhere, anyhow when He comes.

Finally...
The emergency call to the electrician broke the darkness about 2 hours later.

But it was with a high price to pay for this restoration of light in the house. Kena KOTOK. But what choice have we right? With old folks in the house and plenty of foodstuff in the fridges?

So with our uncle and aunt from Melbourne, who were invited for this dinner - we broke in to laughter when the light came! Let there be light! As chatted, one would not appreciate the light had one not experienced the darkness! Praise the Lord!

P/S: So now, we have the extra lights and batteries....better prepared now....of course the reminder to continually check the life span of that EVEREADY pack? Who knows, one day, we may find them expired! Got the LED Light but expired batteries! Ha Ha Ha....Not so EVEREADY ....

20161001:Iconic Double Rainbow over Unique MBS

[Exceptional photo taken by a friend, A.N. on 30/9/2016 -Great vantage view of the double rainbow over Marina Bay Sands Hotel - houses one of the two casinos in Spore)

Exodus 6:6 "Wherefore say unto the children of Israel. I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will redeem you with a stretched our arm and with great judgements"

On 1/10/2016, the newspapers and social media was abuzz with the excitement of a double rainbow sighting over parts of little red dot on 30/9.  I am known for being a rainbow chaser.  Hence I was forwarded with several rainbow sightings for that day.

The one above was my favorite.  A great capture by AN , my classmate's wife who happened to be at the right place, right time, right moment.

This particular spectacular shot lifted my heart tremendously. Why?

Simply because it was an awesome arc over our unique MBS which was accredited with the award of architectural design.  But more uniquely, the double rainbow was covering over one of our 2 casinos here.  

Back in 2003, many Sporeans petitioned over the building of casiNOs . But our government ruled over by building not one but TWO over economic value reasons.  Fast forward to 2010, this iconic MBS was completed. Boasted of housing one of the most expensive casino property at S$8billion.

And last month Sep 2016 in Parliament, our government passed the bill to allow for legalised gambling. Just 5 years later.... We are a promoter of SMART wired nation.  So much so that even gambling - a vice, has gone ONLINE!  Uniquely Spore!

So come 25 Oct 2016, one of the two approved vendors will kick off its online 'attraction" whereas the other approved will go live in Nov 2016.  Spore Pools and TOTO!  wOW O WOW Owow!

Besides, we too have a overhaul of our elected president criteria passed in Parliament! A president with such awesome credentials for qualification in money quantum management of corporations over the character and moral selection criteria. 

Perhaps this is the new leadership of this nation direction for the new era. Post LKY.  As a citizen born in this red dot, do I cheer and see hope for a better future for the next generation? or do I jeer and lament over the current state of affairs? 

To be frank, I did not participate in the petition against this online gambling this time round.  To be truthful, I was feeling the sense of hopelessness. For our nation.  It is done.  Whether petition or not.  Afterall, majority of the MPs are 'AYE! AYE!" to whatever presented in the Parliament.  Perhaps only a handful of the elected MPs have the conscience to vote against what is seemingly not right for the ordinary citizens.  And with majority silent, what can a mere silly online petition by a handful of few thousands enthusiastic concerned folks do? POur MPS are supposedly our represented voices. Get a miracle? I was ticked off  by a friend for not signing up to add to the petition numbers.  I was challenged over not just praying but putting 'action' to matters.

Whatever, our LORD knows. He Is The LORD!

Remembering 

Exodus 6.  

• The Lord said more than 3 x in this chapter .  "I am the LORD"
• He has established his covenant with the children
• He has heard the groanings of his children of  Israel , whom the Eqyptians have kept in bondage
• He has remembered His covenant
• He will bring the children out from the burdens of the Egyptians
• He will rid of the bondage
• He will redeem his people with an out stretched arms
• And he will redeem with GREAT JUDGEMENTS.
• He will bring the children in to a land which he swore to Abraham as a heritage.

My reflections

This recent double rainbow sighting brought joy and a glimpse of hope on 1/10/2016.  A little children's day gift from a Heavenly Father to her daughter.

He knows our burdens and cries for a little nation. Just like the Israelites under the yoke of slavery of the Egyptian Pharoah.

The MBS is a iconic feature of our S'pore architectural landscape.  But many are not that proud to boast of the grand casino within.  The social ills and financial woes it bring to those who unwittingly caught in the mire of gambling vice in its grandeur of its confine. Now ,one can do that within in the comfort of their own home!  Who needs MBS or RWS casinos now?(May be during the hazy days?!)

A good king of any land should have the subjects' welfare at heart. That is a good king. And the reverse?

Prov 21:1" The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD,as the rivers of water, he turns it withsoever he will"

A little prayer:

Thank you Lord for your precious rainbow covenant of love.

A reminder of who you are and what you have done coming from above.

You are the Great Jehovah whose eyes roam

May our hearts be always lifted up to see beyond this earthly home.

To those whose lives are devastated by such bad policies designed

May you forgive and restore the hopelessness by those resigned                       We will continue to plead you to heal Our Land

Regardless of the numbers of written petition, for in this united prayer we stand

                 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

20160913- The Amazing "A's of Albany

[Natural Bridge @ The Gap, Albany, 15/9/2016]

"We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through.  Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love and then we return home" - Australia Aboriginal Belief

Scoot Off!
Yes, a team of 8 did just that on 13/9/2016 to Perth and then headed to Albany, which was about 4.5 hours drive down south.  The whole trip cost about S$1k as we bunked in for 3 free nites in Perth with sleeping bags in the living room for some!

Awe-Inspiring Trip in Albany!

• Amazing Flowers in Spring as we found out that the temperature was much lower than usual years!
• Admirable yellow Canolas and pink white everlasting flowers!
• Astounding Winds at one of the 2 wind farms which served 80% of the 35,000 population in Albany!
• August waves in the coastal beach! Crystal clear pools!
• Astonishing Big Trees at the Tree Top Walk!
• Adventurous climb to Castle Rock - a feat for the over 50s to 70s!
• Awesome looking Alpacas - the guard llama for the sheep!
• Alfresco lunch overlooking the vast vineyard!
• Astronomical Nite at University of WA off campus site at Pingelly! (Where for the first time,  we saw Saturn with the ring, enlarged moon and also the beautiful Alpha Centauri - a pair of twinking diamond like stars) with just the telescope!

That perhaps summed up my thoughts for this amazing "A"s of Albany.

"We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through.  Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love and then we return home" - Australia Aboriginal Belief

Above was a quote taken at the Windfarm.  Perhaps it is quite true in our spiritual walk here on earth.  LOVE -We love because He first loved us.  We are from dust and dust shall we return when we expire in 70s, 80s or 90s according to His call. Indeed it is not about me, not you nor us.  It is all about Him.  GOD is LOVE.  In this pilgrim process, life isn't about finding yourself.  It's about discovering who GOD created you to be. Amen.

Interesting quote indeed.  The 7-day trip ended as soon as it seem started.
It left me footprints of what I gazed back in the various places we visited.  From the mountains to the seas and the forest .  

Albany is an awesome place to be reminded of YHWH, the creative Creator God. His creative wonders which made man minute when one stood at the cliffs observing the pounding waves or hugged a big Grandma Tingle tree which is past already 400 years old! The fabulous waves that foamed in white & how the trees clapped their hands as written in the Bible -made me appreciate what the psalmist used to describe in the psalms.  Being up close and personal to a Wind Farm which produces clean energy! And the brevity of the numerous permutation of colourful spring flowers that last only for less than a month except for the everlasting ones. And being able to climb a rock (something that I hate doing in vertical sports) to embrace the panaroma view of Albany from on high.  And last but not least - being able to see Saturn with our naked eyes! Yes, the ring around this planet was so clear!

And a chance to pet that cute looking Alpacas!

So here's the video to sum it up! What an awesome God we serve!

20160912-My Airplant that blooms - This is the Air I breathe!

Ps150: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!"

The Beauty of Airplants!

There are more than 650 types of air plants (Tillandsia spp.) that can grow and thrive -- without soil.  After more than a year hanging at our balcony barren - FINALLY -  this particular one bloomed radiantly! Wow!

It started with red tips on the leaves..and lo and behold about 7 days later - pretty red little flowers just appeared. So cute.

Fundamental Need : Air!!! Life!

Perhaps like  Gen 2:7 where the LORD BREATHED into the nostrils  the breath of life, and the man became a living thing.  So does this airplant that survived mainly on air !

Likewise in Eze 37:5 the Sovereign LORD made the BREATH enter the dry bones and woosh! They came to life!

Finally in John 20:21 After His resurrection when He appeared to His disciples. What did Jesus do? After He said " As the Father has sent me, I am sending you" V22 He BREATHED on them and said "Receive the Holy Spirit"

How long can one hold his breath on average?

Having equated air with life, now we can understand why most of us on average can only hold our breath for 20-30 secs at most .  And if relaxed manner holding the breath underwater - perhaps 2 min. But In 2012, German freediver Tom Sietas held his breath underwater for 22 minutes and 22 seconds, besting Dane Stig Severinsen’s previous Guinness record by 22 seconds. 

The day we breathe our last gasp of air is the day we expire.

So what do we do with our breath on earth?

Guess by now we understand what Paul wrote in Acts 17:24-25

"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 human hands.  And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all man LIFE & BREATH and everything else"

V28 For in him we live and move and have our being.

Do not take our breath for granted.

The air we now breath is free.  Thank God we need not pay any air tax.  Pretty great air we have in little red dot though once in a while contaminated with the haze from our neighbour!

But this new born spirit eternal life to those who received Him as the Son of God , crucified on the cross for us , cost Jesus His life.  Not so free after all .

And as said, what does our Lord Jesus Christ really need from us? He owns every part of this earth and every part of our being.  He designates the time we expire.

THE FINALE PSALM 150 sums it all up. If you do have breath right now and reading this little blog on airplants....

PRAISE THE LORD! Anywhere. Anytime. With musical instruments if you can play. Dance.

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD.  PRAISE THE LORD.

20160906:Rom11:36 Input / Output : lOve+lIve

Rom 11:36 "For FROM him & THROUGH him and TO him are all things.  To him be the glory forever! Amen"

Max Lucado "We exist to exhibit God, to display His glory. We serve as canvases for His brush strokes, papers for His pen, soil for His seeds and glimpses of His image ... He uncommons the common by turning kitchen sinks into shrines, cafes into convents, and nine-to-five workdays into spiritual adventures... When you magnify your Maker with your strengths ... your days grow suddenly sweet." Your work is important to God. Whatever your work is, it should represent Him. Manage them well. Even the breath we breathe and the blood that courses through our veins are God's investment to us - He expects a return. So, use them to promote His Kingdom."

Someone sent the above quote to me few days ago.

I pondered.  I wondered. How true is the text of Max above.

And then I took a photo of my red mouse over this mouse pad whose words are "wonders'as in Daniel 4:3 "How great are His signs , how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation"

Rom 11:36 "For FROM him & THROUGH him and TO him are all things.  To him be the glory forever! Amen"

I used to liken our Creator God to be like a super computer - with mighty computer processors. The Input and Output devices that we now use to communicate with our PCs.  My mouse or keyboard is an input device for my laptop, while my monitor and printers are my output devices.

On the other hand, I often wonder & marvel at the state of the recent technology where we can send photos via our phone using the software like WhatApps to another party in another part of the world in second! How the picture is being send and received often awes me.  The Inputs of the signals and data received by the system and the Outputs transferred.

I am bad at computer programming. In my time, we learn BASIC.  If you were my age learning this in the 1980s, you would probably know my age. LOL.  Those IF...THEN...ELSE...GOTO...and I remembered my program always never seemed to work.  Just failed in that logic thing!

Fast forward to 2016, we now have WIRELESS network.  We use less of the keyboard.  We use Voice instead of the tapping in or scribbling.  And today, a foreign language can be immediately translated to another language of the other person's choice! The chicken and the duck can now 'talk' to each other:(

Reflections

If God our Father is indeed the CPU of our lives, whom He sent His Son here to earth for us (such as said, no one can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ His Son), and then only to give us His Holy Spirit (the unseen Helper) in this new wireless world of connection where we can tap unto Him --anyway, everywhere, anyhow , anytime without the need of any I/O device , how then should we live our life?

Apart from Him we cannot do anything. How true if the the brain of the CPU stops processing on our behalf once we disconnect with Him.  

Today, we are seeing multitudes of people with zombie like disease - heads bent, fingers hooked.  Walking in this posture on the roads.  In eating places or evening restaurants - people are so unaware of their next person presence in the seat too.  Each minding their own virtual chat , overlooking the physical presence of the humans in the surrounding.  We definitely need to DISCONNECT  to CONNECT.  So likewise, such so called good devices may need to be put away so that our QT with Him will not be hindered as well.

INPUT/OUTPUT ?

Why did Jesus cry out in John 7:38" He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters."

Max quote above - is yet another affirmation of our INPUT and OUTPUT of this life of having Jesus in our lives.  Jesus' ways are often not the world's ways.  In fact it is often a reversal.  

We love because He first Love us.  That is the input of love we receive from Him.

And In Him we live and have our being.  That is the output of how we should live.  

In Love we Input and In Output we Live to magnify Him.

"For FROM him & THROUGH him and TO him are all things.  To him be the glory forever! Amen"

Stay Connected to the CPU!

20160823: Acts 9:3 Sunrise Fire Glow or was it not?

Acts 9:3 " as he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  v4 He fell to the ground, and heard a voice say to him 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

Received this 'initially thought awesome sunrise photo ' from my niece this early morning.  And to my horror, she revealed it was not a sunrise glow.  But perhaps a fire glow from afar.

Only till this evening, that STOMP reported this sight from another resident - apparently, no SCDF report on fire was reported.  So this light which came from the direction of Seletar Airport seemed to be from a far.....

http://www.stomp.com.sg/singapore-seen/singapore/fire-at-seletar-airport-reminds-bedok-resident-of-lord-of-the-rings

Now: Found out that it was a normal flare at Pasir Gudang. Used as safety devices in refineries and petrochemical facilities : They safely burn excess hydrocarbon gases which cannot be recovered or recycled !

Reflections
Since this morning "Orange glow sunrise" spotted, I had been thinking about this light from heaven.  Was recalling how Saul encountered this bright light that came upon him while he was hot and fired up in persecuting believers.

But just one encounter on the road to Damascus changed Saul to Paul - 180 degrees turn. Blinded and then later his visions were set on clarity by Ananias.  Filled with the Holy Spirit. Baptised.  A man changed from PERSECUTOR of faith to that of PREACHER of the Good News that Jesus is the Christ!

Like the burning bush that Moses encountered in the mountain - a bush in flames yet was not burned.  That one encounter changed Moses from a DESERTER to that of a DELIVERER declaring the great I AM , the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who remembered His suffering children.

* When did you have that bright light encounter with YHWH?
* Is that light still burning in your soul? Or has it been smothered out?

Just heard this song "At the Cross" by Brooklyn Tabernacle choir. What awesome lyrics .  Another reminder that at the cross, He died for our sins.  He had to leave so that we will continue to have the Holy Spirit to guide us.  All fired up for Him while on earth.  Till we see Him again .

20160809_51st NDP- Ulu Pandan park connector to Chinese Garden bike

 9/8/2016..The Cycle from Holland V to Chinese Garden on Red Dot 51st!

When was the last time I was at Chinese Garden?  Mmmm ...at least more than 40 years ago! Heh heh!

Today, we decided to try out the bike trail using the Ulu Pandan Park Connector (about 7km) all the way to Jurong Chinese Garden (via Jurong PC - about 9km?) !
Started at 9:15am, we departed from Holland V hawker centre, taking the ride into the start of the Ulu Pandan PCN which was just opposite the Buona Vista MRT station.

Nice scenery along this park connector!

By 1pm , we were back at Holland V!

My thighs had some cramps along Toh Guan Road the the turn of IMM on the way back! Ouch!

And then also along the Ulu Pandan Park connector on the way back! And then along Holland Road on the last leg of the homing:( Thrice cramps...ouch! More than 30km and 3 hours of cycling under the hot noon sun...dehydrated this time!

But it was a worth it biking adventure!A trip down memory lane back to Chinese Garden which I had never popped in since 40 years plus ago!

The structures are still there...but the humans had grown taller...and older of course!

Blessed 51st birthday to little Red Dot!

20160726: Rom 10 - A salvation by what apps?! Nike!

Rom 10:13 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved"

A little testimony of His faithfulness:

It was a Tuesday of quite a gloomy session of  lousy news.  Cancer invasion and relapse in the 2 of the family members and friend's spinal pain issues. However, the Lord is always near and He often uses unusual ways of cheering me up. This was one of those days.

It was this evening on the what apps chat with another ex colleague whose husband too was receiving chemo treatment.  Was always curious about her faith as she was using some of the 'christian cliches' in the chat.

So this evening. I decided to put a direct question " Hey , you also became a Christian?" To my surprise the answer was " I am not yet a Christian but soon"

Wondering "But soon" means ?  And I could't help remembering this logo.

Nike! Just do it!

In Heb 3, in 2 separate verses, the exhortation was that when "today we hear his voice , do not harden our hearts"  So I decided to apps the ABC salvation in simple form to her! No need to wait liao. Nike?

A- Acknowledge Jesus as Lord (Admit we are sinners)

B- Believe He died for our sins and rose again

C- Confess we are sinners and His blood shed for us is remission of our sins

Rom10:8 " The word is near you, it is in your mouth and in your heart." that is the word of faithwe are proclaiming. v9 That if we confess with our mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. v10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified , and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved"

And she replied " Yes, I believe it"

So I trust as in v11 "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame"

V14 " How then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written" How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news"

And we thank God for the gift of salvation.

V20 As declared by Isaiah" I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me" But for those who seek Him, yes He can be found by just a mouth away. Why tarry? Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart. Just a simple ABC to getting to know the greatest King of all the earth! No hell but heaven!

Reflections of the simple Tick! Nike

In 1971, Carolyn Davidson (lady above) charged 17.5 hours of work to come up with this Nike swoosh—which ended up in a $35 paycheck. While she didn't profit immediately from her work on the Swoosh, the designer was eventually celebrated by the company when they threw a party in her honor. She was also given a generous amount of stock in the company (estimated to be worth upwards of $1,000,000), as well as a diamond and gold ring featuring the Swoosh design.

As I thought about Davidson's small invoice amount of only S$35 back then, would anyone fathom the success of the company whose logo was designed by her in later years?

Is that a form of delayed gratification?

But in terms of eternity, it is priceless for a swoosh decision that would moved one from darkness to light.  From death to life.  Sometimes, people do not know how to become a child of God.  But it is as easy as a kindy ABC ! No big hoo ha. Merely a call of the heart to simply believe in Jesus and the confession of our mouth.

Never tarry.  Never delay.  We may never know what would happen next suddenly to prevent us from calling out to the name of Jesus.  

20160723_Tangkak Durian_Mt Ophir (Gunung Ledang)

23/7/2016 Trip to Tangkak for durians and a small trek to Mt Ophir !

It was our annual durian hunt with hubby's classmates which began only last year. This 2nd year we moved up to Tangkak , making it a full day trip which started at 6:30am

Traffic via Causeway was surprisingly good and we managed to stop over at about 8am @ Toast in Permas for breakfast.


Arrived at Tangkak at about 11am where the durian feast began!

 The 4 types of durians from the AA cheapest to the most expensive of Mao Shan Wan was laid on the table for sampling! (and we spent RM698 all in all)

The growing sequence of a durian from day 1 to the final 6th months - see its thorny TRANSFORMATION!


12:30PM  Arrived at the foot of Mt Ophir to discharge those calories!

Pretty cool waters!

3:30pm : Off to hunt for the famous Tangkak Beef Noodles! And bought the traditional biscuits...

6pm....On the way to Simpang Rengkam..the bus started to made a "plop plop plog noise"! Fortunately it was not a tyre puncture but  a screw loose causing the bottom flap to make that noise...stopped at a repair shop and got it fixed in minutes....after collecting the Muah Otah:)

Good chicken (RM38) and braised pork trotters with sea cucumber (RM138) the most expensive dish..total bill RM500+ (for 7 dishes)

10:15 pm Home sweet home ...smooth customs this time! Heng ah!

All in for this trip -bus and food? S$70....not too bad eh?
Looking for to next year! Yeah!

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
The Ukelele sing-a-long song in the bus journey...If I had a million dollars..LOL Ji Ba Ban!

OPHIR : is a port or region mentioned in the Bible, famous for its WEALTH!  King Solomon received a cargo of gold, silver, sandalwood, pearls, ivory, apes and peacocks from OPHIR every 3 years! (wikipaedia) Oh My! Ji Ba Ban alright!

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban,
Gua uh ji pa ban, jit si lang tio khin san,

Bo khong bo lang jai, kong tio chin pai seh,
Chiak kak hia nih tua hanh. ko mm pat je puey kee,

Pah piah hua chuey ni, bo chia bo chu ko bo ai lin,
Kua lang chua bo ko chuey sing di, wu jii ko wu seng,

Nah si gua wu ji pa ban, wa beh je puey kee,
Wa beh ew seh kai, ha wa ee sai dai yang,
Lit pun chiak su shi (Wa chia li chiak su shi)

Nah si gua wu ji pa ban, wa beh buey chia buey chu,
sang ting ka hai bi, siang lang ka ho kih,
lai hor wa cho bo
I’m quite lost here on the underlined part. Can anyone help?

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban,
Nah sih li wu kiam eng jii, khui chui bien keh khi,

Bo khong bo lang jai, kong tio chin pai seh,
Chiak kak hia nih tua hanh. ko mm pat je puey kee,

Pah piah hua chuey ni, bo chia bo chu ko bo ai lin,
Kua lang chua bo ko chuey sing di, wu jii ko wu seng,

Nah si gua wu ji pa ban, wa beh je puey kee,
Wa beh ew seh kai, ee tah li lim ko pi,
Loh pi chiak speh ge ti (Loh pi chiak speh ge ti)

Nah si gua wu ji pa ban, wa beh buey chia buey chu,
Buey tiam lai siu chor, eng eng bien cho kang,
Chua kow ki san por,

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban,
Nah sih li wu kiam eng jii, khui chui bien keh khi,

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban,
Chap cheng puay cheng teh ki eng,
bien huan ma boh bun tuey (huan chien pu se wen ti)

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban…
Wei, peng yu eh, li siong ji pa ban, chin chuay ah?

Just if you’re wondering what the heck is this guy singing about, here’s my DIRECT TRANSLATION, I repeat, DIRECT TRANSLATION from hokkien to English for your listening pleasure.

If I have got one million, one million,
I got one million, my whole life no worries,

Never say nobody knows, say already very shy,
Eat until so big, never sat on a plane before,

Worked so hard for so many years, no car no house and also no lover,
See people get married and do business, got money and got success,

If I have got one million, I wanna sit on a plane,
I wanna explore the world, Hawaii to sun bath,
Japan eat sushi ( treat you eat sushi )

If I have got one million, I wanna buy car buy house,
Eat all the delicacies of the world, who got the good luck,
Be my girl ( thanks to xiaoken@hwz for explaining these two lines )

If I have got one million, one million,
I got one million, my whole life no worries,

Never say nobody knows, say already very shy,
Eat until so big, never sat on a plane before,

Worked so hard for so many years, no car no house and also no lover,
See people get married and do business, got money and got success,

If I have got one million, I wanna sit on a plane,
I wanna explore the world, Italy drink coffee,
Road side eat spaghetti ( road side eat spaghetti )

If I have got one million, I wanna buy car buy house,
Buy shop to collect rent, easy easy no need to work,
Bring dog go for a walk,

If I have got one million, one million,
If you need to borrow money, just open your mouth and ask and no need shy shy,

If I have got one million, one million,
Ten thousand eight thousand take go and use,
No need to pay back also no problem ( pay back money not a problem )

If I have got one million, one million,
Wei friend, you think one million a lot ah?